PETER  CORNEY 


Early 

Northern  Pacific 

Voyages 


IN 


iij  the  JJor'toii  pacific, 


NARRATIVE  OF  SEVERAL  TRADING  VOY- 
AGES FROM  1813  TO  1818,  BETWEEN 
THE  NORTHWEST  COAST  OF  AMERICA, 
THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  AND  CHINA, 
WITH  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  RUSSIAN 
ESTABLISHMENTS  ON  THE  NORTH- 
WEST COAST. 


INTERESTING  EARLY  ACCOUNT  OF  KAME- 

HAMEHA'S  REALM;   MANNERS  AND 

CUSTOMS  OF  THE  PEOPLE,  ETC. 


AND  SKETCH  OF  A  CRUISE   IN  THE   SERVICE  OF  THE 

INDEPENDENTS  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA  IN  1819,  BY 

PETER  CORNEY. 


WITH  PREFACE   AND    APPENDIX   OF   VALUABLE  CON- 
FIRMATORY    LETTERS      PREPARED     BY 
PROF.  W.  D.  ALEXANDER. 


THOS.  G.     THRUM,  PUBLISHER. 

HONOLULU,  H.  I. 

1896. 


Reprinted  from  The  London  Literary  Gazette  of  1821 


PREFACE. 

The  following1  narrative  by  Mr.  Peter  Corne}* 
is  now  published  in  a  separate  form  for  the  first 
time.  As  may  be  seen,  it  was  first  published 
serially  in  a  weekly  literary  magazine  in  London, 
during  the  year  1821. 

It  seems  to  have  been  entirely  over  looked  by 
the  historians  of  the  North-west  Coast  of  America 
as  well  as  by  those  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  It 
even  escaped  the  researches  of  the  indefatigable 
H.  H.  Bancroft  and  of  Robt.  Greenhow,  the 
historian  of  Oregon. 

The  author  was  once  well  known  in  Honolulu, 
and  has  a  number  of  descendants  living  here. 
He  died  in  1836,  on  board  of  the  bark  Columbia, 
while  on  his  way  to  what  is  now  called  British 
Columbia,  where  he  was  to  occupy  a  responsible 
position  in  the  service  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany. In  consequence  of  his  death  his  wife  and 
children  decided  to  remain  in  Honolulu,  instead 
of  continuing  their  voyage  to  the  North-west 
Co%ast. 

His  narrative  is  a  valuable  contribution  to  the 
history  not  only  of  the  North-west  Coast,  but 
also  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  In  particular,  it 
throws  much  light  on  the  proceeding's  of  the 


IV  PREFACE. 

Russians  here  in  1815 — 1817,  on  the  mutiny  and 
piracy  of  the  crew  of  the  Argentine  cruiser, 
Santa  JRosa,  her  recapture  by  Capt.  Bouchard 
of  the  frigate  Argentina,  and  their  homeward 
voyage,  including  the  sack  and  burning  of  Mon- 
terey, California.  It  is  also  valuable  as  contain- 
ing an  account  by  a  fair-minded  eye-witness  of 
the  state  of  things  in  the  islands  near  the  close  of 
Kamehameha's  reign,  which  confirms  the  state- 
ments made  by  Alexander  Campbell,  James 
Hunnewell  and  other  early  visitors  and  residents. 

W.  D.  ALEXANDER. 
Honolulu,  April,  1896. 


CONTENTS 


INTRODUCTORY. 

Observations  on  importance  of  N.  W.,  Sandwich  Isl- 
ands and  China  trade. — Russian  designs  for  control. 
— Rapid  civilization  of  Sandwich  Islanders. — They 
desire  intercourse  with  foreign  traders. — Customs  of 
other  nations  readily  adopted. — Fur  trade  in  hands 
of  Americans. — Likely  extinction  of  British  influ- 
ence therein. — Opening  up  of  Western  country 
through  to  the  Pacific.— Lewis  and  Clark's  journey 
across  the  Rocky  Mountains.  —  Variety  of  fur  bear- 
ing animals  observed. — Plans  of  Americans  to 
form  settlements;  establish  a  town  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia  River  and  found  colonies  on  the  Paci- 
fic Ocean  shore. — Rapid  growth  of  their  population 
assures  this. 

CHAPTER    I. 

Arrival  of  the  Ship  Tonquin,  of  Boston,  at  the  Colum- 
bia River,  with  Settlers. — Loss  of  a  boat,  an  officer, 
<i fid  six  Men,  in  sounding  a  Passage. — Loss  of 


VI  CONTENTS. 

another  Boat  and  two  Men. — Miraculous  Escape  of 
the  Blacksmith,  and  a  Sandwich  Islander. — Settlers 
landed. — The  Tonquin  trades  along  the  Northwest 
Coast. — Dreadful  Catastrophe. — Resolute  conduct 
of  the  Blacksmith.  His  Fate,  and  Fate  of  the 
Vessel  and  Crew. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Continuation  of  the  Account  of  the  First  Settlements  on 
the  River  Columbia. — A  Party  sent  over-land  from 
Boston  to  form  an  Establishment. — Arrival  of  the 
Beaver:  Plan  of  the  Natives  to  take  the  Vessel  frus- 
tated  by  an  Indian  Woman. — Trading  Voyage  of 
the  Beaver  to  Norfolk  Sound:  collects  a  valuable 
Cargo  of  Furs:  arrival  at  China. —  Loss  of  the  Lark 
of  Boston  off  the  Sandwich  Islands.  —  The  North- 
west Company  obtain  possession  of  the  Settlement. 

—  Voyage,  6°£.  of  the  Isaac  Todd  from  London. — 
Melancholy  Death  of  Mr,  McTavish  and  four  others. 

—  Voyage  of  the  Columbia,  in  which  the  author  was 
chief  Officer. — Alarming  Mutiny:   Arrival  at  the 
Columbia. 

CHAPTER    III. 

The  Schooner  is  repaired,  and  Mutineers  sent  into  the 
interior  ;  sail  from  the  Columbia  river. — Arrive  at 
New  Archangel  or  Norfolk  Sound,  and  purchase  a 
cargo  of  furs ;  return  to  the  Columbia  river,  com- 
plete the  cargo  of  furs  for  China,  and  of  goods  for 
the  Spanish  Main.  Sail  for  Monterey  for  the  pur- 
pose of  forming  a  factory,  to  supply  the  establishment 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

on  the  Columbia  river  with  provisions. — Spaniards 
refuse  to  allow  this,  but  suffer  a  cooper  to  remain  to 
cure  provisions. — Sail  for  Bodago. — Russians  refuse 
to  allow  the  gentlemen  to  remain  till  our  return 
from  Canton. — Arrival  at  Owyhee  (Hawaii). — 
Visited  by  the  king. — Natives  crowd  on  board. — 
A  summary  method  to  get  rid  of  them. — Two  gentle- 
men of  the  N .  W .  Company  land  at  Owhyee  to  wait 
our  return. — Sail  for  and  arrival  at  Canton. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

Captain  Robson  gives  up  the  command  of  the  schooner 
Columbia;  Captain  Jennings  appointed  to  succeed 
him. — Some  particulars  respecting  Captain  Jen- 
nings.— Sail  from  Canton. — Lost  a  man  overboard. 
— Arrive  at  the  Columbia  river. — Massacre  of 
three  persons  belonging  to  the  Fort. — Assassins 
discovered  and  shot. — Another  Voyage  to  Monte- 
rey; plenty  of  Provisions  collected  by  the  Cooper. 
— Description  of  the  Town  and  Company. 

CHAPTER    V. 

Takes  cargo  for  the  Russians  at  Norfolk  Sound. — 
Symptoms  of  mutiny.— Arrival. — Russian  settlers 
for  the  Sandwich  Islands. — Arrival  at  Columbia 
River. — Sail  for  Owyhee. — Trade  with  the  Natives. 
Russian  settlers  on  Owyhee. — Sail  for  Canton. — 
Return  to  Columbia  River. — Man  lost  overboard. 
Arrival  at  Norfolk  Sound.— Sail  for  the  Straits 
of  Oonalaska. — Arrival  at  the  Island  of  St.  Paul 
and  St.  George. — Method  of  preserving  the  breed 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

of  Seals. — Mode  of  killing  them. — Singular  pro. 
perty  of  the  Seal. — Arrive  at  Oonalaska. — De- 
scription of  the  Town. — Some  Account  of  the 
Natives. 

CHAPTER    VI. 

The  Winter  of  1816,  on  the  Columbia  River. — Alarm- 
ing Fire. — Sail  for  the  Sandwich  Islands. — Ac- 
count of  the  Columbia. — Manners  and  Customs 
of  the  Natives. 

CHAPTER    VII. 

Royal  Family. — A  necdote. — Native  Tribes. — Religious 
Ideas. — Habits. — Climate. — Traffic. — Slave  Trade 
by  the  Americans;  their  Practices;  instance  of 
Captain  Ayres. — Animals;  War  Canoes. — Voyage 
to  the  Sandwich  Islands:  notice  of  several  of  these. 
— The  King's  Mercantile  Speculations. — New  Rus- 
sian Establishment. — Method  of  curing  Pork. — 
Norfolk  Sound. — Jealousy  of  the  Russians. — 
Native  Women. — Hostility  between  the  Natives 
and  Russians. 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

Cape  Edgecombe ;  Navigation. — The  precautions  of 
the  Russians  to  prevent  Trade. — Return  to  the 
Columbia. — Trading  Expedition  along  shore  to 
Southward. — Natives  near  Cape  Orford. — The 
Coast  to  the  South. — Port  Trinidad;  the  Natives 
there;  Misunderstanding;  Traffic;  Decorum  of  the 


CONTENTS.  IX 

Females;  their  Dress ;  extraordinary  Tattooing  of 
the  Tongue,  etc.,  Massacre  of  a  Spanish  Crew; 
Character  of  the  People;  Difficulties  in  getting 
out  the  Vessel. — Arrive  at  Bodago  Bay. — The 
Russians  and  Natives. — Account  of  the  Russian 
Settlement  on  New  Albion. — Prodigious  Vegeta- 
tion . 

CHAPTER    IX. 

Coasting  Trade  to  Sir  F.  Drake's  Harbour. — Return 
to  Trinidad  Bay. — Attacked  by  the  Indians. — 
Return  to  Columbia. — Mission  up  the  Country  to 
the  Cladsap  Tribe;  its  Success. — Description  of 
the  Country. — The  Northwest  Company's  Estab- 
lishment. 

CHAPTER    X. 

Voyage  to  the  Sandwich  Islands;  various  Transactions 
there;  Superstitious  Omen;  Death  of  a  Chief; 
Remarkable  Funeral  Ceremonies,  Taboo,  and  Cus- 
toms connected  with  these  Rites. —  Whymea. — The 
Russian  Intrigues  with  the  Natives,  and  their 
consequences. — Different  trading  trips,  to  show  the 
Nature  of  the  Island  Commerce. — The  ship  given 
up. — Situation  of  the  Men  on  shore. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

The  Sandwich  Islands. — A  Patriot  or  Runaway  Ship. 
— History  of  its  change  of  Masters,  Piracies  and 
Plundering. 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XII. 

Account     of    the     Sandwich     Islands.  —  Woahoo.  — 
Customs,     Etc. 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

Account  of  the  Customs  in  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
continued. 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

Account  of  the  Sandwich  Islanders  continued. — Fe- 
male dress ;  that  of  the  men  and  chiefs. — Curious 
fishing. — Personal  Adventure. — Mode  of  catching 
flying  fish,  etc. — Weather. — Ancient  fort  and  novel 
fortifications. — Superstitious  story,  and  its  effects. 
— Their  food,  cooking,  etc. 

CHAPTER     XV. 

Proceedings  of  a  Patriot  Ship  ;  fate  of  the  Mutineers 
of  the  Rosa;  execution  of  Mr.  Griffiths.— The 
Author  takes  the  Command  of  the  Brig. — They 
destroy  Monterey. —  Other  Proceedings  hi  these 
Seas  briefly  noticed. — The  Author  returns  home. 


INTRODUCTORY. 

Observations  on  importance  of  N.  W.,  Sandwich  Isl- 
ands and  China  trade.  —  Russian  designs  for  control. 
—  Rapid  civilization  of  Sandwich  Islanders.  —  They 
desire  intercourse  with  foreign  traders.  —  Customs  of 
other  nations  readily  adopted.  —  Fur  trade  in  hands 
of  Americans.  —  Likely  extinction  of  British  influ- 
ence therein.  -Opening  up  of  Western  country 
tlirough  to  the  Pacific.  --Lewis  and  Clark's  journey 
across  the  Rocky  Mountains.  —  Variety  of  fur  bear- 
ing animals  observed.  —  Plans  of  Americans  to 
form  settlements;  establish  a  town  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia  River  and  found  colonies  on  the  Paci- 
fic Ocean  shore.  —  Rapid  growth  of  their  population 
assures  this, 


only  object  the  author  of  this  work  has 
in   making-   his   observations   on   the  trade 
between  the  north-west  coast  of  America 
and  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  China,  is,  to  point 
out  to  the  merchants  of  this  country  the  vast  trade 
that  is  carried  on  between  those  places  by  the 
Americans  and  the  Russians  while  an  English  flag- 
is  rarely  to  be  seen. 

*He  would  particularly  wish  to  call  the  attention 
of  the  people  of  this  country  to  the  state  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  by  pointing-  out  their  vast  im- 
portance to  the  West-India  merchants;  also  the 


2  PROGRESS    OF    SANDWICH    ISLANDERS. 

rapid  progress  the  natives  are  making  towards 
civilization  (unaided  by  missionaries)  by  improv- 
ing themselves,  and  cultivating  an  intercourse 
with  other  countries.  The  Russians  are  by  no 
means  ignorant  of  their  importance,  and  have 
more  than  once  attempted  to  obtain  possession 
of  them.  To  Russia  they  would  be  invaluable, 
as  its  colonists  could  cultivate  sugar,  tobacco, 
and  coffee,  and  make  rum  sufficient  for  the  sup- 
ply of  that  vast  empire.  The  effect  which  such 
a  step  would  have  on  our  West-India  trade  is  too 
obvious  to  require  any  comment.  However 
lightly  the  people  of  those  islands  may  be  thought 
of,  there  is  an  anxious  wish  on  their  part  to  culti- 
vate intercourse  with  those  who  will  trade  with 
them,  and  there  exists  a  desire  for  improvement 
beyond  the  most  sanguine  hope,  of  those  who 
wish  to  see  the  condition  of  mankind  bettered  03^ 
social  intercourse.  Their  battery  or  fort  at 
Woahoo  (Oahu),  where  guard  is  mounted  and 
relieved  with  as  much  regularity  and  form  as  at 
the  Tower  of  London ;  the  policy  of  the  king  in 
charging  foreign  vessels  pilotage  and  harbor 
dues,  because  a  brig  that  he  had  purchased  from 
the  Europeans  and  sent  to  China  with  sandal 
wood  had  been  made  to  pay  pilotage  and  harbor 
clues,  will  prove  that  they  are  ready  to  imitate 
the  customs  of  civilized  nations. 

The  fur  trade  is  now  totally  in  the  power  of  the 
Americans,  as  by  the  treat}^  of  Ghent  the  estab- 
lishment on  the  Columbia  was  given  up  to  that 
republic.  The  following  extract  from  the  Mon- 
treal Herald  of  the  i8th  April,  1820,  will  show 


WESTERN    SETTLEMENTS    EXTENDED.  3 

how  far  they  are  desirous  of  profiting-  by  their 
possessions:  "Military  Expedition  to  the  Upper 
Missouri — The  6th  regiment  of  infantry  left  Bell 
Fountain  on  the  4th  October.  Colonel  Atkins 
commands  the  expedition.  Thus  the  public  have 
at  length  the  satisfaction  to  see  fairly  embarked, 
this  interesting  expedition,  on  the  security  of 
which  depends  the  accomplishment  of  such 
mighty  objects  of  the  American  people,  viz  : — the 
transfer  of  the  fur  trade  from  the  English  to  the 
Americans ;  the  extinction  of  British  influence 
among  American  Indians,  and  the  opening  a 
direct  intercourse  with  India  by  the  Columbia 
and  Missouri  rivers." 

For  several  years  past  it  has  been  a  favorite 
object  of  the  American  government  to  open  an 
easy  communication  from  their  western  settle- 
ments to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  the  above  para- 
graph indicates  the  steps  which  have  been  taken 
to  realize  this  vast  project.  The  most  western 
settlements  which  the  Americans  have  are  on  the 
Missouri,  and  from  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia 
on  the  Pacific  Ocean  they  are  distant  about  3,000 
miles.  This  immense  space  of  desert  territory, 
inhabited  by  Indian  tribes,  some  of  whom  are 
hostile,  presents  obstacles  of  no  ordinary  kind  to 
this  scheme;  while,  at  the  same  time,  it  is  this 
very  circumstance  of  the  country  being  a  wilder- 
ness, over  which  the  Indian,  and  the  wild  beasts 
of  the  forest  range  undisturbed,  that  offers  such 
peculiar  inducement  to  the  American  design, 
not  of  colonizing  the  country,  though  this  conse- 
quence would  undoubtedly  follow;  but  of  making 


4  FUR    TRADE    THE    GREAT    OBJECT. 

an  immediate  inroad  on  barbarism,  by  estab- 
lishing- a  chain  of  posts  at  the  distance  of  50  or 
100  miles  along- the  great  rivers  as  far  as  the  Paci- 
fic Ocean.  The  fur  trade  is  the  great  object  of 
attraction  to  settlers  in  this  wilderness;  and  so 
lucrative  is  this  traffic,  that  it  is  well  calculated  to 
excite  a  competition  amongst  rival  states.  It  can 
only  be  prosecuted  by  such  nations  as  have  a 
ready  access  to  these  deserts,  where  the  wild 
animals  which  afford  this  valuable  article  of  trade 
multiply  undisturbed  by  civilized  man.  These 
nations  are  at  present  the  British,  whose  pos- 
sessions of  Canada  secures  them  access  to  the 
north-western  desert  of  America,  tLe  Americans, 
who  have  free  access  to  the  wilderness  that 
lies  between  their  territories  and  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  the  Russians,  whose  immense  empire 
borders  on  the  north-west  coast  of  America,  giving- 
them  ample  opportunities,  which  they  have  duly 
improved,  of  establishing  settlements  on  its  shores ; 
of  cultivating  a  friendly  intercourse  with  the 
natives,  and  of  exchanging  European  articles  for 
the  valuable  furs  which  they  collect  in  the  course 
of  their  hunting  excursions.  The  fur  trade  has 
been  prosecuted  with  amazing  enterprise  and 
activity  by  the  British  Canadian  companies. 
Every  season  they  dispatch  into  the  wilds  a  nu- 
merous body  of  their  servants,  clerks,  and  boat- 
men, amounting  to  about  800,  who,  traveling  in 
canoes  across  the  vast  succession  of  lakes  and 
rivers,  which  extend  northwest  nearly  3,000 
miles  into  the  American  continent,  and  are  con- 
nected with  the  great  Canadian  lakes  of  Huron, 


ROCKY    MOUNTAINS    CROSSED.  5 

Superior,  and  Ontario,  etc.,  bring-  back  a  valua- 
ble supply  of  furs  from  these  remote  regions,  in 
exchange  for  such  European  articles  as  are  in 
request  among  their  savage  customers.  This 
trade  having  been  prosecuted  with  such  success 
by  the  British,  the  Americans  seem  in  like  man- 
ner resolved  to  profit  by  the  vast  tract  of  similar 
territory  to  which  they  have  access.  By  the 
journey  of  Captains  Lewis  and  Clark  across  the 
Rocky  mountains  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  the  whole 
of  that  western  region  is  now  laid  open.  Numer- 
ous adventurers  have  since  crossed,  by  easier  and 
better  roads,  this  mountainous  barrier  where  they 
found  an  open  champaign  country,  well  wooded 
and  watered,  and  abounding  in  game.  Captains 
Lewis  and  Clark  were  often  astonished  at  the  im- 
mense numbers  of  wild  animals  which  they  met 
with  in  all  directions,  consisting  of  bears,  wolves, 
beavers,  hares,  foxes,  racoons,  etc.,  and  various 
other  animals,  which  are  keenly  pursued  on 
account  of  their  furs. 

The  plan  of  the  Americans  seems  therefore  to 
be,  to  form  settlements  in  this  country  with  a  view 
to  a  trade  in  its  great  staple,  namely  fur;  and  by 
establishing  a  port  which  would  gradually  grow 
up  into  a  village  or  a  town  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  River  on  the  Pacific  Ocean,  they  could 
thence  transport  their  cargoes  to  the  great  Indian 
markets,  in  exchange  for  the  valuable  produce  of 
the  East.  Such  is  the  project  contemplated,  and 
if  it  succeed,  it  would  have  this  important  conse- 
quence, that  it  would  lay  the  foundation  of  an 
American  colony  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific 


6  AMERICAN    COLONIES. 

Ocean.  The  peopling  of  the  American  continent 
is  at  present  going  on  at  a  rapid  rate ;  but  by  this 
means  the  seeds  of  population  would  be  scattered 
with  a  more  prodigal  hand,  and  having  once 
taken  root,  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  would  be 
quickly  overspread  with  civilized  inhabitants, 
drawing  their  support  from  the  country  in  which 
they  were  settled,  and  in  this  respect  independent 
of  the  parent  state. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Arrival  of  the  Ship  Tonquin,  of  Boston,  at  the  Colum- 
bia River,  with  Settlers. — Loss  of  a  boat,  an  officer, 
and  six  Men,  in  sounding  a  Passage. —Loss  of 
another  Boat  and  two  Men. — Miraculous  Escape  of 
a  Blacksmith,  and  a  Sandwich  Islander. — Settlers 
landed.  —  The  Tonquin  trades  along  the  Northwest 
Coast. — Dreadful  Catastrophe. — Resolute  conduct 
of  the  Blacksmith. — His  Fate,  and  Fate  of  the 
Vessel  and  Crew. 

THE  ship  Tonquin^  belonging  to  John  Jacob 
Astor,  left  Boston  about  the  year  1811,  with 
settlers,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an  estab- 
lishment on  the  Columbia  River.  On  their  pas- 
sage out,  they  touched  at  the  Sandwich  Islands 
to  fill  up  their  water  casks,  and  procure  a  supply 
of  provisions.  Captain  Thorne  encountered  con- 
siderable difficulties  from  the  disposition  which 
his  ship's  company  evinced  to  leave  the  vessel  at 
these  islands,  and  was  even  obliged  to  get  the 
settlers  to  keep  watch  over  them  to  prevent  de- 
sertion :  the  boatswain,  Peter  Anderson,  by  some 
means,  however,  eluded  the  guard  and  escaped 
to  the  shore.  The  Tonquin- arrived  off  the  mouth 

*  This  pioneer  ship  of  Astor's  enterprise  sailed  from  New  York, 
September  8,  1810,  under  convoy  for  a  time  of  the  U.  S.  frigate 
Constitution.  [En.] 


8  LOSS  OF  BOAT'S  CREW. 

of  the  Columbia  in  March,  181 1 .    Captain  Thorne 
not  being  acquainted  with  the  harbor,  dispatched 
a  whale-boat,    with  an   officer  and  six  men,   to 
sound  the  passage  over  the  bar  into  the  river. 
The  ship  was  then  under  close  reefed  top-sails, 
and  a  strong-  gale  blowing  from  the  north-west, 
so  that  the  first  officer  was  much  averse  to  going 
on  this  service;    and  it  is  rather  singular,    that 
previous  to  his  leaving  the  Tonquin,  he  observed 
to  Mr.  McDougal,  who  was  to  be  the  governor 
of  the  establishment,  that  he  was  going  to  lay  his 
bones  beside  those  of  his  uncle,  who  had  perished 
in  crossing  the  bar  of  the  Columbia  river  a  year 
or  two  before  that  time.     In  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
after  they  left  the  ship,  they  hoisted  a  signal  of 
distress,  and  then  disappeared — thus  seven  men 
found  a  watery  grave  !     The   Tonquin  stood  out 
to  sea  for  the  night,   and  in  the  morning  again 
stood  in,  and  another  boat  was  ordered  off  under 
the  command  of  the  second  officer  Mr.  Moffat, 
who" peremptorily  refused  to  go,  observing,  that 
he  could  see  a  passage  better  from  the  mast  head. 
Captain  Thorne  then  ordered  a  man,  who  was  to 
have  the   command  of  a  shallop  (of  which  they 
had  the  frame  on  board),  to  take  the  command  of 
the  boat,  with  two  Sandwich  Islanders  (several  of 
whom  they  had  on  board  for  the  establishment), 
the  ship's  blacksmith,  and  one  sailor,  Mr.  Mc- 
Dougal having  refused  to  let  any  of  the  settlers 
go  on  that  service  which  they  looked  on  as  little 
better  than  an  act  of  insanity.     Shortly  after  the 
boat  had  left  the  ship,  she  ran  by  it;  the  boat  was 
then  so  close  that  the  people  asked  for  a  rope ; 


TWO    OF    SECOND    CREW    SAVED.  9 

but  the  vessel  herself  was  in  so  perilous  a  situa- 
tion, that  all  on  board  had  to  attend  to  their  own 
safety.     She  struck  several  times  on  the  bar,  and 
the  sea  made  a  fair  breach  over  her;   but  they  at 
length   g-ot  under  the  north  point,  into  Baker's 
bay.     On   the  following  day  they   saw   a  white 
man  on  the  rocks,  in  the  bay.     Captain  Thome 
dispatched  a  boat,  which  returned  with  the  black- 
smith, who  had  been  in  the  second  boat  sent  to 
sound  the  channel.      The   account  he  gave  of 
himself  was,  that  shortly  after  the  ship  had  passed 
them,  the  boat  swamped;   that  the  master  of  the 
shallop  and  the  sailor  were  drowned,  and  that  he 
was  saved  by  the  exertions  of  the  Sandwich  Isl- 
anders, who  had  dived  several  times  to  clear  him 
of  the  lead  line  which  was  entangled  round  his 
legs.     As  the  tide  was  ebbing  strong,  the  boat 
drifted  clear  of  the  breakers;  the  islanders  got  a 
bucket  and  one  of  the  oars;   the  blacksmith  and 
one  of  the  islanders  took  it  in  turns  to  scull  the 
boat  during  the  night.    The  other  islander  died  in 
consequence  of  being  benumbered  with  the  cold, 
so  that  he  could  not  exert  himself  as  the  others 
did.     At  day-light,  they  found  themselves  drifted 
to  the  northward  of  the  river  into  a  small  sandy 
bay;  they  ran  the  boat  on  the  beach  and  hauled 
her  as  high  as  their  strength  would  allow  them, 
and  got  their  dead  companion  out.     They  then 
crossed  the  point  towards  the  river,  and  entered 
the  woods,  where  the  islander  lay  down  by  the 
stump  of  a  tree .    The  blacksmith  left  him ,  crossed 
the  point,  and  arrived  in  sight  of  the  river,  where, 
to  his  inexpressible  joy,  he  saw  the  ship  at  anchor 
in  the  bay. 


10        SETTLERS  AND  CARGO  LANDED. 

Captain  Thorne  sent  a  party  in  search  of  the 
islander,  whom  they  found.  They  also  recovered 
the  boat,  and  buried  the  other  native.  They  then 
landed  the  settlers  about  seven  miles  from  the 
entrance  of  the  river,  and  on  the  south  side, 
where  they  immediately  commenced  clearing 
away  the  woods,  building  a  fort,  block-houses, 
etc.  to  protect  themselves  against  the  Indians. 
The  Tonquin  next  landed  part  of  her  cargo,  of 
which  Mr.  McDougal  took  charge;  and  Mr.  Mc- 
Kie*  accompanied  Captain  Thorne  to  trade  with 
the  Indians  to  the  northward.  For  this  purpose, 
they  sailed  from  the  river  and  swept  along  the 
coast  till  they  came  to  Woody  Point,  where  they 
ran  into  a  snug  harbor,  in  latitude  of  50  deg.  6 
min.  N.  and  longitude  127  deg.  43  min.  W. ;  in 
this  place  they  carried  on  a  brisk  trade  with  the 
natives,  of  whom  Captain  Thorne,  however, 
allowed  too  many  to  come  on  board.  Mr.  Mc- 
Kie  remonstrated,  and  pointed  out  the  danger  to 
which  they  subjected  themselves,  by  placing  too 
much  confidence  in  savages.  But  the  captain 
was  above  taking  his  advice,  and  permitted  still 
more  liberty  in  visiting  the  ship.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  fatal  catastrophe  taking  place,  he  was 
awakened  by  his  brother  (whom  he  had  appoint- 
ed chief  mate  in  the  room  of  the  one  who  was 
lost,  while  Mr.  Moffat  was  left  at  the  Columbia 
river  to  command  the  schooner  or  shallop),  com- 
ing to  inform  him,  that  the  natives  were  crowding 
on  board  in  very  great  numbers,  and  without 
women,  which  was  a  sure  sign  of  their  hostile 

*  living's  Astoria  gives  this  name  as  McKay.      [En.] 


INDIAN    BUTCHERY    AVENGED.  II 

intentions.  Upon  reaching-  the  deck  Captain 
Thorne  was  alarmed,  and  ordered  the  ship  to  be 
got  under-way;  four  persons  went  aloft  to  loose 
the  sails,  while  the  remainder  were  heaving  at 
the  windlass.  The  Indians  had  seated  themselves 
round  the  decks  between  the  guns,  apparently 
without  arms ;  but  while  the  sailors  were  in  the 
act  of  heaving  at  the  windlass,  they  gave  a  sudden 
yell,  and  drew  long  knives  from  their  hair,  in 
which  they  had  them  concealed,  rushed  on  the 
men,  and  butchered  every  person  on  deck.  Cap- 
tain Thorne  defended  himself  for  some  time,  but 
was  at  length  overpowered,  after  having  killed 
several  of  his  assailants.  The  people  aloft,  terri- 
fied by  this  slaughter,  slid  down  by  the  stays, 
and  got  into  the  forecastle,  where,  by  means  of 
the  loop-holes,  they  soon  cleared  the  decks  of  the 
savages.  They  were  for  some  time  at  a  loss  how 
to  act,  and  it  was  at  length  resolved  that  three 
should  take  the  long-boat,  and  endeavor  to  reach 
the  Columbia  river.  The  blacksmith  being  wound- 
ed, preferred  staying  on  board,  and  endeavoring 
to  revenge  the  death  of  his  ship-mates :  the  three 
men  accordingly  took  provision  and  arms,  and 
left  the  ship,  and  pulled  directly  out  to  sea.  The 
blacksmith  then  waved  to  the  natives  to  return 
on  board,  having  previously  laid  a  train  of  gun- 
powder to  the  magazine,  and  got  his  musket  ready 
to  fire  it.  The  Indians  seeing  but  one  man  in  the 
vessel,  came  off  in  great  numbers,  and  boarded 
without  fear.  He  pointed  out  to  them  where  to 
find  the  different  articles  of  trade ;  and  while  they 
were  all  busily  employed  breaking  open  boxes, 


12  BUT   ONE    ESCAPED    TO    LAND. 

loosing  bales,  etc.,  he  fired  the  train,  and  jumped 
overboard.  By  this  explosion  was  destroyed 
nearly  the  whole  village.  He  was  picked  up  by 
some  of  the  canoes,  and  it  is  said  by  the  natives, 
is  still  among  them,  but  is  never  allowed  to  come 
near  the  sea-shore.  It  may  appear  strange  that  he 
was  not  put  to  some  violent  death ;  but  the  savages 
estimate  too  highly  the  value  of  a  blacksmith,  who 
repairs  their  muskets,  makes  knives,  etc.:  in 
short,  he  is  the  greatest  acquisition  they  can  have. 
With  respect  to  the  three  men  who  escaped  the 
massacre  on  board,  not  being  able  to  weather 
Woody  Point,  they  were  driven  on  shore,  and 
killed  by  the  natives.  The  boat  remains,  together 
with  the  wreck  of  the  Tonquin^  to  this  day. 

The  former  part  of  this  account  of  the  loss  of  the 
Tonquin  I  had  from  Mr.  McDougal,  the  governor 
of  the  fort  at  Columbia  river,  and  the  remainder 
from  the  natives,  with  whom  I  have  had  frequent 
intercourse,  and  whom  I  invariably  found  it  to 
my  interest  to  use  well,  as  they  are  sensible  of 
the  slightest  attention,  and  are  prone  to  revenge 
the  slightest  insult. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Continuation  of  the  Account  of  the  First  Settlements  on 
the  River  Columbia.  —  A  Party  sent  over-land  from 
Boston  to  form  an  Establishment.  —  Arrival  of  the 
Beaver:  Plan  of  the  Natives  to  take  the  Vessel  frus- 
tated  by  an  Indian  Woman.  —  Trading  Voyage  of 
the  Beaver  to  Norfolk  Sound:  collects  a  valuable 
Cargo  of  Furs:  arrival  at  China.  —Loss  of  the  Lark 
of  Boston  off  the  Sandwich  Islands.  —  The  North- 
west Company  obtain  possession  of  the  Settlement. 
—  Voyage,  o°£.  of  the  Isaac  Todd  from  London.  — 
Melancholy  Death  of  Mr,  McTavish  and  four  others. 
—  Voyage  of  the  Columbia,  in  which  the  autlior  was 
chief  Officer.-  —  -Alarming  Mutiny:  Arrival  at  the 
Columbia. 


next  attempt  to  form  a  settlement  on  the 
Columbia  was  made  by  John  Jacob  Astor, 
who  sent  a  party  over-land  from  Boston,* 
under  the  command  of  Mr.  Hunt.    They  endured 
many  hardships  in  crossing1  the  stony  mountains, 
and  lost  several  of  their  number;   but  at  length 
reached  their  destination,  the  Columbia,  after  the 
destruction  of  the  Tonquin.    The  next  vessel  Mr. 
Astor  sent  out  was  the  Beaver,  a  ship  command- 

*  The  narrator  is  in  error  in  naming  Boston  as  the  place  of 
departure  both  of  sea  and  land  expeditions.  New  York  was  the 
headquarters,  and  the  Beaver  left  that  port  Oct.  10,  1811.  [ED.] 


14  INDIANS    PLOT    FRUSTRATED 

ed  by  Captain  Sole.*  She  arrived  safe  in  the  river, 
and  found  the  establishment  in  great  distress  for 
provisions.  On  the  ensuing  night,  not  being  pro- 
perly secured,  she  went  adrift,  and  was  nearly 
wrecked  on  the  bar;  they,  however,  got  her  into 
the  harbour  next  day,  and  commenced  landing 
their  stores. 

After  they  had  unloaded,  and  received  on 
board  such  furs  as  had  been  collected,  they  only 
waited  for  a  fair  opportunity  to  cross  the  bar,  to 
observe  which,  Captain  Sole  went  on  shore  daily, 
on  Cape  Disappointment.  The  natives,  mean- 
while, formed  a  design  for  seizing  him  and  his 
boat's  crew  while  on  shore,  and  at  the  same  time 
send  off  canoes  to  take  the  ship.  The  plot  was, 
however,  most  fortunately  frustrated  by  an  Indian 
woman,  who  was  on  board  with  one  of  the  sailors, 
and  communicated  the  whole  design  to  her  tem- 
porary husband.  This  affair  put  Captain  Sole 
more  on  his  guard:  the  woman  was  handsomely 
rewarded,  and  is  still  at  Fort  George.  The 
Beaver  left  the  Columbia  river,  and  ran  along  the 
coast  to  the  northward.  She  went  into  Norfolk 
Sound,  where  the  Russians  have  an  extensive 
establishment,  and  there  traded  with  the  colonists 
for  seal-skins.  They  were  also  induced  to  visit 
the  islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  George,  which 
are  situated  inside  a  group  of  islands,  called  the 
Aluthean  (Aleutian)  or  Fox  Islands.  Here  the 
Beaver  was  nearly  lost  among  the  ice ;  but  ulti- 
mately, after  encountering  many  difficulties,  she 

*  Also  given  as  Sowle  and  Soule  by  other  writers  ;  the  latter 
most  likely  correct.  !_ED.j 


THE    LARK    DISMASTED.  15 

arrived  safe  at  Canton,  with  a  valuable  cargo  of 
furs,  and  was  laid  up,  on  account  of  the  war 
between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain. 

Mr.  Astor  next  sent  out  the  ship  J^ark,  Captain 
Northrope,  with  instructions  to  touch  at  the  Sand- 
wich Islands:  but  when  they  got  into  their  lati- 
tude, and  were  running  down  before  the  wind, 
it  came  on  to  blow  very  hard,  which  reduced 
them  to  a  close-reef ed  main  top-sail  and  fore-sail. 
The  sea  was  running  mountain  .high,  and  the  ship 
being  very  crank,  in  the  middle  watch  (which  was 
kept  by  Mr.  Machal,  a  relative  of  Mr.  Astor  Js)  she 
suddenly  broached-to,  and  a  sea  struck  her,  which 
laid  her  on  her  beam-ends.  The  people  lost  no 
time  in  cutting  away  the  masts,  by  which  means 
she  righted.  Fortunately  for  them,  the  cargo  con- 
sisted chiefly  of  rum  for  the  Russians,  and  light 
goods,  which,  added  to  the  number  of  empty 
water-casks  on  board,  made  the  ship  float  light. 
After  the  gale  had  abated,  they  got  the  spare 
spars,  and  rigged  one  for  a  jury-mast.  They  also 
built  a  sort  of  stage  on  the  forecastle,  and,  by 
means  of  a  Sandwich  Islander  named  Power, 
whom  they  brought  from  America  with  them,  got 
a  top-gallant-sail  up  from  below,  and  set  it  on  the 
jury  foremast.  They  then  cut  the  anchors  from 
the  bows,  but  afterwards  felt  the  loss  of  them, 
managing  nevertheless  to  steer  the  ship  towards 
the  Sandwich  Islands.  They  remained  nineteen 
days  on  the  wreck,  subsisting  entirely  on  what 
the  islander  could  get  from  the  cabin,  as  he  could 
not  go  down  the  main  hatchway,  on  account  of 
the  casks  drifting  about;  they  also  killed  several 


1 6  SHIPWRECK    AND    RESCUE    OF    CREWS. 

sharks  which  were  swimming'  across  the  vessel. 
At  length,  on  the  nineteenth  day  of  their  being 
in  that  distressing  situation,  they,  to  their  great 
joy,  discovered  land,  and  were  drifted  close  to 
Mowee,  (Maui)  in  a  smooth  sandy  bay.  They 
now  experienced  the  want  of  their  anchors,  which 
might  have  saved  the  ship.  Some  canoes  came 
off,  and  some  of  the  people  landed,  when  the 
wind  suddenly  shifting,  blew  strong  from  the 
land,  and  the  ship  was  drifted  from  Mowee  (Maui) 
to  the  point  of  "Morotoi*  (Molokai),  where  she 
went  on  the  rocks,  and  was  soon  knocked  to 
pieces.  The  captain  and  remainder  of  the  crew 
were  rescued  through  the  exertions  of  the  isl- 
anders, and  kindly  treated  by  them.  The 
natives  saved,  too,  a  great  deal  of  the  cargo,  and 
the  chief  of  Mowee  (Maui),  Namea  Teymotoo, 
(Keeaumoku)  having  arrived,  took  charge  of 
the  whole.  The  news  soon  reached  Owhyhee 
(Hawaii),  and  Tameameah,  (Kamehameha)  the 
king,  dispatched  orders  to  Teymotoo,  (Keeau- 
moku) to  send  what  goods  he  had  obtained,  and 
also  all  the  white  men  to  him.  The  white  men 
were  sent,  but  Teymotoo  (Keeaumoku)  never 
quitted  the  island  while  the  rum  lasted,  for  which 
he  nearly  lost  his  head,  which  he  certainly  would 
have  done,  had  not  his  sister,  named  Ta'amano 
(Kaahumanu),  and  who  was  Tameameah's  (Ka- 
mehameha's)  head  wife,  exerted  all  her  interest 
successfully  in  his  cause. 

The  establishment  on  the  Columbia  River  being 
so  valuable  in  respect  to  the  fur  trade,  it  was 

*  This  should  be  Kahoolawe,  not  Molokai.      [ED.] 


CANADIAN    DESIGNS.  1 7 

determined  by  the  Northwest  Company  of  Can- 
ada to  get  possession  of  it.      It  was    therefore 
arranged  to  fit  out  a  ship  for  that  purpose,  and 
accordingly  the  ship  Isaac   Todd  was  selected 
and  equipped  by  Messrs.  McTavish,  Eraser  and 
Company,    merchants,    commanded  by  C  aptain 
Smith.     She  left  England  in  March,  1813,  with  a 
number  of    settlers   on   board,    the  principal  of 
whom  was  Donald  McTavish,  Esq.     There  was 
also  a  party  sent  over-land  from  Canada  to  reach 
the  Columbia  about  the  same  time  at  which  it  was 
calculated   the   ship   would   arrive.     The    Isaac 
Todd  called  at  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  sailed  thence 
under  the  convoy  of  his  majesty's  ships  Phoebe, 
Racoon,  and  Cherub,  of  which  she  lost  sight  off 
Cape  Horn;   and,  after  beating  off  the  Cape  for 
some  time,  and  nearly  getting  ashore,  the  captain, 
settlers,    and    sailors    continually    fighting    and 
quarreling,    at  length   arrived   on   the    coast   of 
California.     Most  of   the  people   being  laid  up 
with  the  scurvy,   they   determined   to   run   into 
Monterey  (the  Spanish  seat  of  government  on 
California)  to  recruit  their  crew,  of  which  there 
was  scarcely  a  sufficient  number  well  enough  to 
work  the  vessel.     They  anchored  in  Monterey  in 
the  latitude  of  36°  36'  N.,  and  longitude  121°  34' 
W. ;  got  permission   to   land  the  sick,  and  were 
well  treated  by  the  Spaniards,  and  recovered  fast. 
When  they  were   about  to  leave  Monterey,  an 
officer  came  over-land  from  Port  St.  Francisco* 
to  order  the  Isaac   Todd  round  to  that  port,  and 
enable  the  Racoon  to  heave  down  and  repair. 

*  San  Francisco. 


1 8  MORE    FATALITY. 

She  had  arrived  in  the  Columbia  river,  and  found 
the  establishment  in  possession  of  the  party  that 
came  over-land,  and  the  English  colors  flying  on 
the  fort.  On  the  approach  of  the  party,  they  had 
informed  the  Americans  that  some  of  his  majesty's 
ships  were  coming  to  take  possession  of  the  place. 
Upon  this  the  colon}/  made  the  best  bargain  they 
could,  and  the  English  took  possession  of  the 
fort,  with  a  valuable  assortment  of  furs.  A  few 
of  the  American  clerks  went  on  board  the  Amer- 
ican brig  Pedlar,  but  the  governor,  Mr.  McDou- 
gal  and  the  rest,  entered -into  the  service  of  the 
English  Northwest  Company.  The  Racoon, 
after  having  completed  her  wooding  and  water- 
ing, lay  sometime  in  the  river;  on  her  crossing 
the  bar,  she  struck,  and  so  much  damaged  her 
bottom,  that  she  could  scarcely  be  kept  above 
water  till  her  arrival  at  Port  St.  Francisco,  a  dis- 
tance not  exceeding  500  miles  from  the  Columbia. 
By  means  of  the  Isaac  Todd,  his  majesty's  ship 
was  soon  repaired,  and  sailed  towards  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.  Several  of  the  crew  of  the  Isaac 
Todd  deserted  at  Monterey,  being  afraid  they 
should  be  pressed  into  the  Racoon.  She  then 
sailed  from  Port  St.  Francisco,  and  arrived  off 
the  Columbia  river  in  April,  1814,  got  over  the 
bar  in  safety,  and  anchored  in  Baker's  Bay. 
The  Todd  went  up  the  river,  and  moored  oppo- 
site the  fort  above  Village  Point;  and  all  the  en- 
treaties of  Mr.  McTavish  could  not  prevail  on 
Captain  Smith  to  bring  the  ship  across :  his  ex- 
cuse was,  want  of  water  in  the  channel,  where 
there  is  three  fathoms  and  a  half  at  high  tide. 


BODIES    RECOVERED.  19 

The  consequences  were  fatal ;  for,  on  Sunday,  the 
22nd  of  May,  as  Mr.  McTavish  was  crossing  the 
river  in  the  vessels  long-boat,  under  the  charge 
of  Captain  Smith's  nephew,  when  they  got  about 
mid-channel,  they  were  upset  by  a  sudden  squall, 
filled,  and  sunk  immediately.  Mr.  McTavish, 
Mr.  Henry  and  four  others,  found  a  watery  grave, 
and  an  American  carpenter,  named  Joseph  Little, 
alone  saved  himself  with  an  oar.  He  drifted  up 
the  river,  and  got  on  the  stump  of  a  tree,  whence 
he  was  taken  by  an  Indian  canoe  to  the  fort, 
where  he  communicated  the  sad  fate  of  the  gov- 
ernor and  party.  Within  a  few  days  two  of  the 
bodies  were  picked  up,  and  buried  close  to  the 
fort,  and  shortly  after,  the  body  of  Mr.  McTavish 
was  drifted  ashore  to  the  northward  of  Cape 
Disappointment,  and  a  party  was  sent  to  bury  him 
there,  as  it  was  not  safe,  at  that  time,  to  bring 
him  to  the  fort,  where  the  natives  were  very 
troublesome,  and  all  collected  from  the  northward 
to  fish  in  the  river,  this  being  the  season. 

Having  served  my  time  in  the  West  India  trade 
with  Captain  Stoddard,  in  the  employ  of  Messrs. 
Inglis,  Ellice  and  Company,  of  Mark-lane,  I 
arrived  in  London  about  August,  1813,  from  a 
West  Indian  voyage.  The  houses  of  Inglis, 
Ellice  and  Co.  and  McTavish,  Fraser  and  Co., 
were  then  fitting  out  a  vessel  for  the  northwest 
coast  of  America  and  China.  A  schooner  that 
had  formerly  belonged  to  the  Americans,  was  pur- 
chased for  this  voyage,  and  called  the  Columbia. 
She  was  a  sharp-built  vessel,  of  185  tons  register, 
and  had  a  crew  of  25  men,  officers  included. 


20       SCHOONER  COLUMBIA'S  VOYAGE. 

She  was  armed  with  ten  nine-pounders,  and  had 
a  patent  boarding-  defence  all  round  her  bulwark. 
Her  commander  was  Captain  Anthony  Robson, 
under  whom  I  served  as  chief  officer. 

I  went  on  board  in  August,  1813,  and  after  taking 
our  cargo  on  board,  we  dropped  down  to  Grave- 
send  the  latter  end  of  September,  completed  our 
stores,  wood  and  water,  at  the  Motherbank,  and 
on  the  26th  of  November,  1813,  sailed  under 
convoy  of  his  majesty's  ship  Laurel,  Captain 
Prob}^ ,  in  company  with  the  Brazil  fleet.  On  the 
24th  of  January  we  crossed  the  equinoctial  line 
in  the  longitute  of  24  °  o'  west,  having  much 
thunder,  lightning,  and  rain.  A  strong  current 
setting  to  the  northward,  on  the  3ist,  we  made 
the  land  about  Pernambuco  on  the  Brazil  coast, 
spoke  several  catamarans,  which  are  made  of 
four  or  five  logs  of  wood,  trunneled  together, 
and  well  lashed.  They  are  rigged  with  a  large 
lug-sail,  and  are  used  to  fish  and  trade  along  the 
Brazil  Coast,  manned  with  four  or  five  negroes. 
February  gth,  we  saw  Cape  Frio  in  the  latitude 
of  23°  i'  south,  and  longitude  41  °  45'  west,  and 
on  the  ioth  we  came-to  in  Rio  de  Janeiro  harbor. 
We  lost  no  time  in  preparing  to  wood  and  water 
the  ship,  the  season  for  doubling  Cape  Horn 
being  far  advanced ;  several  of  our  crew  deserted, 
and  we  had  great  difficulty  in  procuring  others. 

On  the  1 9th  of  February,  having  completed  our 
stores,  etc.,  we  sailed  from  Rio,  intending  to 
touch  at  the  Falkland  islands,  and  refit,  previous 
to  doubling  the  Cape.  On  the  i4th  of  March 
we  saw  the  Falkland  Islands,  stood  away  to  the 


A    DESERTED    VILLAGE.  21 

eastward,  towards  Berkeley's  Sound,  and  as  we 
sailed  along  shore,  observed  a  great  number  of 
cattle  and  horses.  About  TI  o'clock  P.M.,  we 
rounded  Cape  St.  Vincent,  and  worked  up  the 
sound  with  a  strong-  gale  at  S.  W.  At  3  P.  M., 
came-to  between  Penguin  and  Goat  Islands,  at 
the  head  of  the  sound  in  six  fathoms,  soft  bottom. 
I  went  on  shore  with  a  party  on  Goat  Island, 
where  we  shot  a  number  of  ducks  and  other  birds, 
of  which  there  appeared  to  be  great  numbers,  as 
also  of  the  fur  seal.  Next  day,  Captain  Robson 
went  on  shore  to  a  town  which  we  saw  from  the 
ship,  apparently  deserted.  In  the  evening  he 
returned  with  the  boat  nearly  full  of  ducks  and 
geese.  We  got  under  weigh,  and  warped  nearer 
the  place  in  four  fathoms  water,  good  bottom. 
It  appeared  that  the  town  had  been  deserted  by 
the  Spaniards  in  1811:  they  called  the  island 
Solcdada.  We  found  it  well  stocked  with  cattle, 
horses,  ducks,  geese,  etc.,  and  also  a  small 
quantity  of  cabbages  and  celery,  the  gardens 
being  nearly  chocked  up  with  weeds,  which  we 
cleared  away,  and  planted  seeds  of  different 
kinds.  On  the  2yth  day  of  March,  1814,  having 
completed  the  rigging,  we  took  a  stock  of  fresh 
beef,  geese,  and  pigs  on  board,  filled  up  our 
water,  got  under  way,  and  stood  out  of  the  sound, 
with  a  strong  S.  W.  wind.  While  we  lay  at  these 
islands,  the  people  had  fresh  beef,  geese,  and 
vegetables  daily;  and  when  we  sailed,  all  on 
board  were  in  good  health,  except  our  surgeon, 
who  had  been  ill  since  we' left  Rio  de  Janeiro, 


22  HEAVY    CAPE    HORN    WEATHER. 

Cape  St.  Vincent  and  Cape  Pembroke  form 
the  entrance  of  this  sound;  the  former  is  in  the 
latitude  of  51°  26'  south,  and  longitude  57°  54' 
west;  the  latter,  in  latitude  51°  56'  south,  and 
longitude  57°  54'  west;  the  sound  is  about  three 
leagues  deep  and  about  three  miles  wide  in  the 
middle.  Ships  bound  into  this  sound  must  give 
Cape  St.  Vincent  a  wide  berth,  on  account  of  a 
reef  that  runs  about  a  mile  off  the  point;  and  it 
would  be  particularly  advisable  for  such  as  are 
going  round  Cape  Horn,  to  touch  here  in  pre- 
ference to  calling  at  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

We  encountered  very  severe  weather  going 
round  the  cape ;  at  times  not  more  than  six  or  eight 
men  were  able  to  stand  the  deck,  from  being  con- 
tinually wet  and  cold,  and  the  schooner  being  so 
low  that  the  sea  was  continually  washing  over  her. 
On  one  occasion,  April  14, 1814,  she  shipped  a  sea 
that  washed  the  round-house  clean  from  the  deck, 
and  filled  the  cabin :  we  had  four  feet  of  water  in 
the  hold,  and  in  this  gale  carried  away  the  fore- 
yard,  and  split  all  our  sails,  so  that,  at  one  time, 
we  had  not  a  single  sail  that  was  lit  to  set.  About 
the  i8th  of  April,  we  doubled  Cape  Horn,  and 
ran  along  shore  to  the  northward,  with  a  tine  S. 
W.  breeze.  May  26th,  John  Jameson,  the  sur- 
geon, departed  this  life,  after  a  long  illness:  he 
was  a  native  of  Scotland,  aged  about  26  years. 
His  body  was  committed  to  the  deep  with  the 
usual  ceremonies. 

On  the  22nd  of  May,  we  crossed  the  equinoctial 
line  in  the  longitude  of  109°  14'  west,  with  a  strong 
breeze  from  E.  S.  E.  and  fine  weather.  Nothing- 


MUTINY    FRUSTRATED,  23 

of  moment  occurred  until  the  22nd  of  June,  when 
a  young  man,  of  the  name  of  Thomas  Smoke, 
came  aft,  and  divulged  a  most  villainous  design, 
planned  by  four  of  the  men,  viz:  John  Happy, 
boatswain,  John  Carpenter,  John  Peterson,  and 
John  Decrutz,  seamen.  Their  horrid  purpose 
was  to  rise  in  the  middle  watch,  which  it  happened 
I  was  to  keep,  and  throw  me  overboard;  one  of 
the  parties  was  then  to  go  to  the  cabin,  and  dis- 
patch the  captain,  who  was  at  that  time  unwell, 
and  the  others  were  to  murder  the  officers  in  the 
half-deck.  They  had  asked  Smoke  if  he  could 
navigate  the  ship  to  the  Spanish  main  for  them  :  he 
answered  that  he  could,  and  was  thus  enabled  to 
frustrate  their  treachery. 

Having  put  us  on  our  guard,  he  went  forward, 
but  not  below,  and  we  made  preparations  for  the 
villains  in  as  private  a  way  as  possible.  I  wished 
to  secure  them  immediately,  but  Captain  Robson 
declined  doing  so  till  the  morning,  it  being  then 
dark.  We  armed  all  the  officers  in  the  half- 
deck,  and  opened  a  door  which  led  from  the 
cabin  to  that  berth;  we  then  unhinged  the  doors, 
and  put  them  below.  The  second  mate  took 
the  first  watch  from  8  o'clock  to  midnight, 
and  the  rest  of  us  kept  in  readiness  to  jump 
on  deck  at  the  least  notice.  Midnight  came,  and 
I  succeeded  to  the  watch.  I  went  on  deck  armed 
with  three  pair  of  pistols.  My  first  care  was  to 
look  round,  and  see  that  every  thing  was  right; 
I  then  called  down  the  forecastle,  to  know  if  the 
watch  were  coming  on  deck:  the  answer  was, 
aye,  sir."  Shortly  after,  Happy  came  on 


24  ARRIVE    OFF    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 

deck,  and  relieved  the  helm,  but  none  of  the 
others  made  their  appearance.  It  being  a  fine 
night,  I  was  glad  they  kept  below,  as  it  was  my 
determination  to  shoot  the  first  man  who  should 
attempt  to  come  abaft  the  gang-way.  At  day- 
light we  called  them  one  at  a  time,  and  secured 
them  in  irons.  Towards  noon,  Carpenter 
requested  to  be  taken  out  of  irons,  and  to  make 
a  confession  concerning  the  mutiny.  His  depo- 
sition was  accordingly  taken  by  Captain  Robson, 
and  signed  by  the  officers,  after  which  we  were 
obliged  to  keep  him  apart  from  the  other  prisoners , 
as  they  swore  they  would  murder  him. 

Latitude  39°  14'  north;  longitude  134°  39'  west. 
On  the  2Qth  of  June,  we  made  Cape  Orford,  on 
the  coast  of  New  Albion,  and  on  the  6th  of  July 
we  saw  Cape  Disappointment,  the  north  point  of 
Columbia  River:  latitude  46°  19'  north,  and  longi- 
tune  123°  o'  west.  We  stood  close  in  with  the 
bar,  fired  a  gun,  tacked  ship  in  6l/4  fathoms  dark 
sand,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  breakers.  Next 
day  we  stood  in:  the  tide  setting  in  strong,  and 
drifting  us  fast  towards  the  bar,  I  went  to  the 
mast-head  to  look  for  a  channel,  and  perceived 
an  Indian  canoe  paddling  towards  us.  She  soon 
after  came  alongside,  and  the  natives  began 
talking  to  us  in  a  language  we  did  not  understand ; 
we  then  lowered  the  boat  down,  and  I  took  one 
of  the  Indians  with  me  to  sound  before  the  ship, 
—the  least  water  we  had  was  3^  fathoms  on  the 
bar.  On  rounding  Cape  Disappointment,  an 
Indian  village  opened  to  our  view,  consisting  of 
about  50  miserable  looking  huts.  The  Indians 


VISITED    BY    INDIANS.  25 

were  all  busilylemployed,  launching  their  canoes, 
and  pushing-  off  towards  the  ship,  which  was  a 
novel  spectacle  to  us  all,  as  we  had  never  seen 
people  of  this  description  before.  At  three 
o'clock  P.M.  we  anchored  under  Cape  Disappoint- 
ment in  Baker's  Bay,  about  a  mile  from  the 
village,  and  were  soon  visited  by  about  30  canoes, 
with  men,  women,  and  children,  most  of  whom 
had  flat  heads.  We  put  sentries  on  immediately, 
and  ran  our  boarding  defence  out,  to  the  great 
astonishment  of  the  natives. 


CHAPTER    III. 

The  Schooner  is  repaired,  and  Mutineers  sent  into  the 
interior  ;  sail  from  the  Columbia  river. — Arrive  at 
New  Archangel  or  Norfolk  Sou-id,  and  purchase  a 
cargo  of  furs ;  return  to  the  Columbia  river,  com- 
plete the  cargo  of  furs  for  China,  and  of  goods  for 
the  Spanish  Main.  Sail  for  Monterey  for  the  pur- 
pose of  forming  a  factory,  to  supply  the  establishment 
on  the  Columbia  river  with  provisions. — Spaniards 
refuse  to  allow  this,  but  suffer  a  cooper  to  remain  to 
cure  provisions. — Sail  for  Bodago. — Russians  refuse 
to  allow  the  gentlemen  to  remain  till  our  return 
from  Canton. — Arrival  at  Owyhee  (Hawaii). — 
Visited  by  the  king. — Natives  crowd  on  board. — 
A  summary  method  to  get  rid  of  them. — Two  gentle 
men  of  the  N.  W.  Company  land  at  Owhyee  to  wait 
our  return, — Sail  for  and  arrival  at  Canton. 

THE    natives    on    the    Columbia   brought   us 
plenty  of  fine  salmon,  sturgeon,  and  fruit, 
such  as  strawberries,  blackberries,  rasber- 
ries,  etc.,  for  which  we  gave  them,  in  exchange, 
knives,  buttons,  etc.     We  shortly  after  observed 
a  remarkably  large  canoe,  coming  off  with  two 
Indians  very  finely  dressed:    they  proved  to  be 
the  king's  sons,  Casakas  and  Selechel,  who  made 


MUTINEERS    SENT    ASHORE.  27 

us  signs  that  there  was  a  three-masted  ship  above 
the  point.  We  gave  these  people  bread  and 
treacle,  of  which  they  appeared  to  be  very  fond. 
Shortly  after  we  perceived  a  schooner-boat  beat- 
ing" down  the  river;  and  about  7  o'clock  she 
anchored  in-shore  of  us.  I  went  on  board  of  her 
well  armed,  and  found  Mr.  Black,  chief  mate  of 
the  Isaac  Todd,  with  several  of  the  clerks  belong- 
ing to  the  Northwest  Company,  whom  I  brought 
to  the  Columbia.  The  schooner  was  manned 
with  Sandwich  Islanders.  The  next  morning  we 
weighed  and  ran  up  the  river,  passed  two  Indian 
villages  belonging  to  the  Chenook  tribe,  and 
came  too  above  Village  Point,  along-side  of  the 
Isaac  Todd,  in  seven  fathoms  water,  good  bottom. 
Captain  Smith  visited  us,  and  a  large  bark  canoe 
came  across  from  Fort  George,  in  which  was  the 
governor,  John  George  McTavish,  Esq.,  with 
whom  Captain  Robson  went  on  shore.  Next 
day  Captain  Robson  returned  with  a  party  from 
the  fort  to  take  the  mutineers  on  shore ;  they  were 
well  guarded.  After  the  necessary  precautions, 
we  then  crossed  the  river  in  3)^  fathoms  water, 
and  anchored  under  Fort  George  in  6  fathoms 
water,  very  excellent  holding  ground.  We  were 
visited  daily  by  Comley,  king  of  the  Chenook 
tribe,  with  his  wives  and  family;  and  also  by  the 
other  tribes  about  the  river,  bringing  sea-otter 
and  beaver  skins,  (which  we  were  not  allowed  to 
buy  from  them),  with  plenty  of  fine  salmon  and 
sturgeon.  During  this  time,  the  Isaac  Todd  had 
been  taking  in  furs  for  China;  on  the  22nd  of 
July,  she  was  ready  lor  sea,  and  dropped  down 


28  LOAD    FOR    N.    W.     SETTLEMENTS. 

below  the  Point.  Mr.  Bethune,  one  of  the  North- 
west Company,  went  on  board  as  supercargo 
for  China.  Having-  finished  the  rigging-  of  the 
schooner,  we  commenced  taking-  in  bar-iron, 
rum,  powder,  ball,  etc..  for  the  Russian  settle- 
ments to  the  northward.  Mr.  James  McTavish 
came  on  board  as  super  cargo;  Mr.  McLennan 
as  clerk.  Finding  there  were  several  American 
ships  on  the  coast,  we  embarked  two  long  six- 
pounders,  and  a  brass  four-pounder,  with  small 
arms,  etc.,  also  three  Sandwich  Islanders  who 
were  left  here  by  the  Tonquin,  three  Canadians, 
an  old  man,  who  had  been  a  long  time  in  the 
Russian  Northwest  Company's  service,  and  a 
half  breed  boy.  Having  completed  our  cargo,  we 
took  our  wood  and  water  on  board. 

On  the  4th  of  August,  eight  bark  canoes, 
belonging  to  the  Northwest  Company,  sailed 
with  stores  for  the  posts  in  the  interior,  with 
seven  men  in  each  canoe,  including  three  of 
our  mutineers ;  the  other  being  a  blacksmith  was 
kept  at  the  river.  On  the  i6th,  both  ships  weighed 
with  a  strong  breeze  from  N.  W.,  and  turned 
over  the  bar,  in  a  heavy  sea  in  3  fathoms  water. 
In  crossing,  the  sea  washed  over  us,  and  left  the 
decks  covered  with  sand.  We  left  the  Isaac 
Todd  at  anchor,  and  made  all  sail  to  the  west- 
ward; we  had  a  steady  breeze  from  N.  W.  and 
W.  N.  W.  On  the  26th  of  August  we  had  a 
strong  gale,  sprung  our  bowsprit  and  fore-top- 
mast; and,  on  the  29th,  we  saw  Queen  Char- 
lotte's Island.  September  2nd,  we  made  the 
land,  called,  by  the  Russians,  New  Arch- 


ARRIVE    AT    NEW    ARCHANGEL.  29 

angel,   and  by  the  English,  Prince  of  Wales's 
Archipelago;   in  the  evening  we  were  close  in 
with  the   bay  of  islands,    to    the    northward   of 
Norfolk  Sound.     On   the   5th,   we   entered   the 
Sound  by  10  o'clock,  the  wind  dying  away  we 
got  the  sweeps   on;    fired   several  guns;    at   n 
o'clock  we  were  boarded  by  a  skin-boat,  called 
bodaree,  and  a  smaller  one,  called  bodarkee ;  the 
latter  was  dispatched  on  shore  to  let  the  governor 
know  what  ship  it  was ;  the  former  assisted  to  tow 
us   towards  the   harbor.     When  we   got  to  the 
head  of  the  Sound,    we  ran  inside   a  group  of 
islands,  and  came  too  off  the  Russian  fort,  in  3^ 
fathoms  water,  good  holding  ground:  found  here 
a  fine  American  ship,  called  the  Packet,  Captain 
Bacon,   with  a  valuable  cargo  of  furs  on  board, 
which  they  had  collected  on  the  N.  W.  coast. 
We  saluted  the  fort  with  thirteen  guns,  which 
was  returned  with  the  same  number.     Captain 
Robson,    and    the    supercargo    waited   on    the 
Governor   Baranoff;    sent  the  carpenter  to   cut 
some  good  spars  for  bowsprit  and  topmast.    Sep- 
tember 1 3th,  the  supercargo,  having  agreed  with 
the  governor,  we  commenced  landing  our  cargo; 
by  the  2ist,  we  completed  our  rigging,  wooding, 
and  watering,  took  on  board  a  quantity  of  fur, 
seal  skins,  and  made  all  clear  for  sea.     While  we 
lay  here  a  large    Russian  brig  arrived,    with  a 
valuable  cargo  of  furs,  from  the  Aluthean,  or 
Fox  Islands;    she  had  been   two  years   on  her 
voyage,  which  might  have  been  performed  in  six 
months ;  also  arrived  here  the  sloop  Consiantinc, 
from  Kodiac,  with  furs  and  stores.     At  this  time 


30  THE    GOVERNOR  S    CUSTOM. 

there  were  two  large  ships  hauled  on  shore, 
undergoing  some  repairs;  two  large  sloops  ready 
for  sea,  and  two  gun-boats;  a  ship  of  400  tons, 
which  they  had  built  here,  was  trading  on  the 
coast  for  furs;  and  a  large  brig  and  schooner 
trading  on  California.  The  Americans  were 
very  friendly  with  us,  often  spending  their  even- 
ings on  board.  During  our  stay,  we  were  well 
supplied  with  salmon,  hallibut,  and  wild  fowl. 

It  is  the  custom  of  Governor  Baranoff  to  make 
his  visitors  drunk,  when  they  dine  with  him.  On 
these  occasions  he  will  commence  firing  guns, 
which  must  be  answered  by  the  ships,  and  I  have 
often  been  obliged  to  fire  upwards  of  fifty  guns 
in  a  day.  The  governor  dined  on  board  once 
with  his  suite,  and  seemed  much  pleased  with  our 
boarding  defence.  The  Russians  have  a  fine 
fort  on  a  high  rock,  mounting  about  sixty  guns, 
and  well  calculated  to  defend  them  from  the 
Indians;  a  good  ship  would,  however,  soon  des- 
troy it.  They  have  also  blockhouses,  and  a  town 
of  about  sixty  houses,  a  church,  ship-yard,  etc., 
and  about  100  Russians,  chiefly  convicts  from 
Siberia.  They  employ  a  great  number  of  Kodiac 
and  Oonalaska  Indians  to  hunt  the  sea-otter  and 
man  their  ships ;  they  also  hire  American  ships 
to  take  Indians  and  canoes  to  California,  where 
the  sea-otters  are  very  plentiful,  for  the  capture 
of  which  they  allow  the  ships  a  certain  proportion. 
They  have  also  several  hostages  from  the  tribe 
about  the  Sound,  and  will  not  allow  a  canoe  to 
come  near  the  fort,  without  bringing  a  handsome 
present;  they  have  a  look-out  house  on  the  top 


NEW    ARCHANGEL    DESCRIBED.  3! 

of  the  fort,  where  a  man  is  continually  kept  with 
a  spy-glass  in  his  hand,  and  if  a  canoe  should 
heave  in  sight,  a  gun-boat  is  immediately  dis- 
patched after  her.  The  town  is  enclosed  by  a 
high  paling,  and  look-out  houses  built  at  the  dis- 
tance of  twenty  yards  from  each  other,  where 
there  are  people  on  the  watch,  both  day  and 
night.  Every  Russian  has  cleared  a  piece  of 
ground,  where  they  sow  potatoes,  turnips,  car- 
rots, radishes,  sallad,  etc.,  by  which  means,  with 
plenty  of  fish  and  whale  blubber,  they  live  very 
comfortably,  marrying  the  Kodiac  and  Oonalaska 
women,  who  are  very  industrious  and  make  good 
wives.  The  Russians  are  extremely  fond  of  rum, 
and  will  part  with  any  thing  for  it;  tobacco  is 
also  in  great  request.  This  country  abounds 
with  wood,  chiefly  of  the  pine  kind.  The  hills 
are  continually  covered  with  snow,  and  it  rains  a 
great  deal;  we  had  not  six  fine  days  while  we 
lay  here.  The  whole  of  the  population  of  this 
establishment  does  not  exceed  1,000  souls. 

September  27th.  We  made  sail  out  of  the 
Sound,  and  stood  off  towards  Columbia  river,  on 
our  passage  to  which  nothing  worthy  of  remarks 
occurred.  We  found  the  Isaac  Todd  had  left  the 
river  on  the  26th  of  September,  1814.  The  Che- 
nook  tribe  of  Indians  were  rejoiced  to  see  us, 
and  treated  us  in  a  very  friendly  way;  then  king 
Comley  came  on  board  as  usual.  I  was  therefore 
dispatched  in  the  schooner-boat  to  bring  the  body 
of  Mr.  McTavish  to  the  fort;  which  was  done 
accordingly,  and  the  corpse  interred  with  funeral 
ceremonies.  Captain  Robson  read  the  burial 


32  ARRIVE    AT    MONTEREY. 

service;  the  coffin  was  lowered  into  the  grave, 
which  being-  enclosed  all  round  with  paling-,  a 
kind  of  tomb-stone  was  erected.  While  we  lay 
in  the  river,  we  had  much  rain  and  thunder,  with 
heavy  g-ales  from  S.  W.  to  S.  E. 

In  November  we  finished  a  cargo  of  furs  for 
China,  and  an  assortment  of  goods  for  the  Spanish 
Main;  and  having- completed  our  wood  and  water, 
and  taken  on  board  plenty  of  spare  spars,  we  at 
length  cleared  the  dangerous  bar,  and  stood  off 
to  the  southward  towards  Monterey.  On  the  23rd 
of  November,  made  the  coast  of  California;  saw 
the  harbor  of  Sir  Francis  Drake,  and  the  port  of 
St.  Francisco;  passed  the  Farlone  rocks,  about 
one  mile  from  them;  at  daylig-ht,  saw  the  north 
point  of  Monterey  Bay;  in  the  evening,  it  falling- 
calm,  we  came  too  in  the-bay  in  50  fathoms  sand; 
at  daylight  a  breeze  sprung  up,  weighed  and 
turned  into  the  anchorage,  we  came  too  in  n 
fathoms  sandy  bottom,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  Captain  Vancouver's  Observatory,  and 
about  the  same  distance  from  the  fort.  I  went 
on  shore  to  report  the  ship,  and  was  kindly 
received  by  the  Spaniards,  who  had  all  their  force 
(about  50  horsemen)  drawn  up  on  the  beach  to 
receive  me.  I  asked  the  governor  if  he  would 
answer  a  salute;  he  complied,  and  I  went  on 
board  and  saluted  with  n  guns,  which  was 
returned.  Captain  Robson  and  the  gentlemen 
then  went  on  shore,  and  sent  off  some  fresh  beef 
and  vegetables  for  the  crew.  Mr.  McDougal 
informed  the  governor  that  he  wished  to  remain 
at  Monterey,  to  collect  provisions  for  the  North- 


LAND    GOODS    AND    DEPART.  33 

west  Company's  establishment  on  the  Columbia 
river.  The  governor  could  not  grant  him  permis- 
sion without  receiving  an  order  from  the  viceroy 
of  Mexico  ;  accordingly  a  courier  was  dispatched 
to  Mexico,  with  letters  to  state  our  wishes  to  him. 
In  the  meantime,  we  had  fresh  beef  and  vegeta- 
bles sent  oif  daily.  The  people  had  liberty  to 
walk  and  ride  about  the  town,  the  Spanish  men 
and  women  often  coming  on  board.  On  Friday, 
the  1 6th  of  December,  we  received  a  final  answer 
from  Mexico  to  the  following  purport,  viz;  that 
they  could  not  allow  any  gentleman  to  remain  in 
the  country;  we  might  land  the  goods  we  had 
brought  to  barter,  and  the  governor  was  to  see 
to  the  collecting  of  provisions  for  us  against  our 
return  from  Canton ;  but  the  cooper  was  allowed 
to  remain  .(as  a  great  favour)  to  superintend  the 
curing  of  the  beef.  With  these  terms  we  were 
obliged  to  comply.  We  accordingly  landed  the 
goods,  consisting  of  bale  goods,  iron,  sugar, 
tobacco,  rum,  etc.  On  the  lyth,  eight  of  our 
men  deserted,  and  though  we  tried  all  means  we 
possibly  could  devise  to  bring  them  back,  we 
failed  in  that  object.  On  the  2ist  of  December 
we  sailed  from  Monterey  towards  Bodago,  a 
Russian  establishment  on  New  Albion,  in  the 
latitude  38°  o'  and  longitude  123°,  which  we 
reached  in  due  time. 

On  the  24th  we  saw  a  large  storehouse  on 
shore;  Mr.  McDougal  and  myself  went  in  quest 
of  its  owners;  we  found  it  locked,  and  then 
pulled  up  a  lagoon,  where  we  saw  a  number  of 
Indians  collected  round  a  large  fire.  We  landed, 


34  AN    UNDERGROUND    VILLAGE. 

and  found  ourselves  above  an  Indian  village,  for 
here  they  live  under  ground,  and  we  could  hear 
their  voices  beneath  us.  Several  old  women  and 
children  made  their  appearance ;  we  gave  them 
some  beads  and  by  signs  inquired  where  the 
Russians  were;  they  pointed  to  the  men  round 
the  fire,  to  whom  we  accordingly  went  up,  and 
found  them  killing  rabbits.  Their  mode  of  hunt- 
ing them  is  to  fire  the  grass  for  a  considerable 
distance,  and  kill  the  rabbits  as  they  are  endeavor- 
ing to  escape  from  the  flame.  The  natives,  on 
this  part  of  the  coast,  appear  to  be  a  very  harmless 
race.  We  inquired  for  the  Russians,  and  they 
pointed  to  the  northward.  We  then  left  them, 
and,  on  passing  the  village,  some  of  our  party 
had  the  curiosity  to  venture  into  their  subter- 
raneous abodes,  but  were  obliged  to  make  a  hasty 
retreat,  pursued  by  swarms  of  fleas,  and  an 
intolerable  stench  from  a  mass  of  filth. 

We  re-embarked,  and  made  all  sail  to  the  north- 
ward, and  at  4  P.  M.  were  visited  by  some  Russians 
in  bodarkees ;  they  brought  with  them  a  present 
of  fresh  pork  and  vegetables,  and  one  of  them 
piloted  us  to  the  settlement,  where  we  anchored 
with  the  stream  in  30  fathoms  water,  bottom  of 
soft  mud,  about  one  mile  from  the  shore.  Mr. 
McDougal  then  went  on  shore  to  ask  permission 
to  remain  until  the  schooner  arrived  from  Canton, 
which  was  refused  by  Governor  Kutscoff,  with- 
out first  getting  permission  from  Governor  Bara- 
noff.  He  returned  on  board,  and  at  daylight  we 
weighed,  and  made  sail  for  the  Sandwich  Islands. 


ARRIVE   AT     HAWAII.  35 

January  yth,  in  latitude  27  north,  we  fell  in  with 
the  N.  E.  trade-wind;  on  the  i6th  January,  1815, 
made  the  island  of  Owhyee  (Hawaii),  ran  close 
in  shore;  some  natives  visited  us,  and  informed 
us  that  Tameamah  (Kamehameha)  was  at  the 
village  of  Tyroa  (Kailua).  We  made  all  sail  for 
that  place,  and  the  next  day  ran  between  Owhyee 
(Hawaii)  and  Mowee  (Maui),  and  stood  close  in 
shore.  The  natives  came  off  in  great  numbers, 
bringing  with  them  hogs,  vegetables,  rope,  and 
cloth  of  the  country ;  we  allowed  a  few  to  enter 
the  vessel,  and  took  a  chief  woman  on  board, 
who  acted  as  pilot.  About  midnight  we  reached 
Tyroa  (Kailua),  where  we  anchored  in  30  fathoms 
water,  very  foul  bottom;  saluted  the  king.  Mr. 
McDougal.went  on  shore,  and  returned  with  the 
king  next  morning:  Tameamah  (Kamehameha) 
was  dressed  in  a  coloured  shirt,  velveteen 
breeches,  red  waistcoat,  large  military  shoes, 
and  worsted  stockings,  a  black  silk  handkerchief 
round  his  neck,  no  coat :  he  is  a  tall,  stout,  athletic 
man,  nose  rather  flat,  thick  lips,  the  upper  one 
turned  up;  an  open  countenance,  with  three  of 
his  lower  front  teeth  gone.  We  weighed  anchor, 
and  towed  close  in  shore  in  14  fathoms  sandy 
bottom;  the  canoes  collected  from  all  parts,  and, 
in  a  short  time,  there  were  no  fewer  than  eighty 
of  them,  with  from  three  to  ten  men  in  each,  and 
some  hundreds  of  men,  women,  and  children 
swimming  about  the  ship,  regardless  of  the 
sharks;  the  decks  were  soon  covered  with  them. 
Captain  Robson,  being  rather  alarmed  at  having 
so  many  on  board,  told  the  king  to  send  them  on 


36  LEAVE    HAWAII    FOR    CHINA. 

shore.  He  took  a  handspike  in  his  hand,  and 
said  a  few  words,  and  in  a  moment  the  men  flew 
out  of  the  ship  in  all  directions.  The  king 
ordered  us  to  hoist  a  white  flag",  which  here  signi- 
fies taboo,  or  prohibition,  and  then  ordered  two 
of  his  hikanees  (aikanes),  or  confidential  men,  to 
remain  on  board,  to  keep  the  natives  from  steal- 
ing. The  king,  queens,  and  principal  chiefs 
remained  with  us  all  day,  and  had  their  dinner 
sent  on  board  to  them,  not  being  allowed  to  eat 
ship  provision.  It  is  a  strange  custom  that  any 
thing  out  of  which  the  king  eat  or  drank  he  had 
sent  on  shore.  In  the  afternoon  Captain  Robson 
landed  in  company  with  his  majesty,  who  gave 
Mr.  McDougal  permission  to  stop  in  his  dominions 
as  long  as  he  pleased,  and  assured  him  that  he 
should  want  for  nothing.  We  accordingly  for- 
warded their  baggage,  and  the  two  gentlemen 
and  a  boy  landed. 

The  king  sent  off  a  supply  of  hogs  and  tarrow, 
some  very  good  island  rope;  and  the  same  night, 
January  i8th,  we  weighed  and  made  sail  for 
Canton.  We  made  the  islands  of  Bottel,  Tobago, 
and  Xima;  and  on  the  5th  of  March  passed  For- 
mosa, about  two  leagues  from  the  valrette  rocks; 
had  wind,  with  much  thunder,  lightning,  and  rain. 
Next  day,  it  being  foggy,  we  sounded  occasion- 
ally in  from  35  to  20  fathoms  of  water,  bottom  of 
dark  sand;  when  it  cleared  up,  we  were  sur- 
rounded by  Chinese  fishing-boats,  the  sea  being 
completely  covered  with  them.  On  the  8th  of 
March  we  passed  Pedra  Blanco,  about  one  mile 
off,  made  the  great  Lema,  and  passed  Antin. 


ARRIVE    AT   WAMPOA.  37 

On  the  Qth  we  ran  into  the  Macao  roads,  and 
came  too  in  3^  fathoms  water,  bottom  of  soft 
mud.  Captain  Robson  went  on  shore  in  a  Chin- 
ese boat;  in  the  evening-  he  returned,  and  the 
next  day  took  the  young  woman  on  shore,  the 
Chinese  not  allowing  her  to  proceed  to  Canton 
in  the  schooner.  On  the  iyth  of  March,  we  got 
a  pilot  on  board,  weighed,  and  stood  up  the  river; 
we  were  three  days  in  our  passage  up  to  Wanipoa. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Cnptiiin  Robson  gives  up  the  command  of  the  schooner 
Columbia;  Captain  Jennings  appointed  to  succeed 
him, — Some  particulars  respecting  Captain  Jen- 
nings.— Sail  from  Canton. — Lost  a  man  overboard. 
— Arrive  at  the  Columbia  river. — Massacre  of 
three  persons  belonging  to  the  Fort. — Assassins 
discovered  and  shot. — Another  Voyage  to  Monte- 
rey; plenty  of  Provisions  collected  by  the  Cooper. 
— Description  of  the  Town  and  Company. 

AT  Canton,  Captain  Robson  found  Mr. 
Bethune,  and  sixteen  Sandwich  Islanders, 
who  had  been  left  by  the  Isaac  Todd. 
On  March  28th,  1815,  being  quite  tired  of  the 
northwest  coast  of  America,  and  determined  to 
go  to  England,  he  gave  charge  of  the  schooner 
to  Captain  Jennings,  agreeably  to  an  order  from 
Mr.  Bethune.  Captain  Jennings  had  left  England 
in  the  brig  Forester,  and  made  an  attempt  to  go 
round  Cape  Horn,  but  he  did  not  succeed.  At 
last  they  bore  up  for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
going  through  the  Straits  of  Tymore,  the  chief 
mate,  with  four  of  the  crew,  took  the  gig  and  left 
the  ship  in  the  night.  After  a  tedious  and  trouble- 
some passage,  the  Forester  arrived  off  the  island 


TROUBLES  ON  THE  FORESTER.        39 

of  Woahoo  (Oahu,)  one  of  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
the  crew  being-  at  that  time  in  a  state  of  mutiny. 
They  saw  several  ships  in  the  harbour,  among 
which  was  the  American  schooner  privateer, 
Tameameah  (Kamehameha),  Captain  Porter.  A 
canoe  came  off,  and  Captain  Jennings  intercepted 
a  letter  his  crew  were  sending  on  shore,  to  say, 
that  if  the  vessels  in  the  harbour  would  send  their 
boats  out  they  should  find  friends.  Captain  Jen- 
nings immediately  made  sail  towards  Owyhee 
(Hawaii).  On  arriving,  he  anchored  at  Tyroa 
(Kailua),  the  residence  of  the  king,  who  came  on 
board  with  all  his  family,  and  on  learning  from 
the  Captain  his  situation,  promised  him  every 
assistance.  He  accordingly  got  the  forester 
under  way,  and  ran  to  Karakakooa  (Kealakekua) 
bay,  where  Captain  Cooke  was  killed:  here  the 
Indians  watered  the  ship,  bringing  the  water 
down  from  the  mountains  in  calabashes. 

A  very  serious  accident  took  place  on  board 
the  Forester  while  she  lay  here.  A  boy  ran  away, 
but  was  brought  back  again,  having  lost  all  his 
clothes.  One  afternoon,  when  the  ship  was  on 
the  point  of  sailing,  and  Captain  Jennings  had 
occasion  to  go  on  shore,  the  boy  went  up  to  him 
and  told  him  he  wanted  his  clothes,  and  would 
not  go  to  sea  without  them.  The  Captain  pro- 
mised that  he  would  try  to  get  them ;  and  if  not, 
some  slops  should  be  provided :  the  boy,  however, 
would  not  be  satisfied,  and  was  extremely  imper- 
tinent, which  at  last  enraged  Captain  Jennings  so 
much,  that  he  gave  him  a  box  on  the  ear.  Upon 
this  the  mutineer  took  hold  of  the  Captain,  who 


40  THE     BOATSWAIN    SHOT. 

was  a  small  man,  and  threw  him  down.  The 
clerk,  Mr.  Ebbets,  immediately  knocked  the  lad 
down,  and  the  boatswain  espousing  his  quarrel, 
ran  aft  and  struck  Mr.  Ebbets  so  violently  as  to 
stretch  him  on  the  deck.  Captain  Jennings  then 
got  clear,  and  called  for  irons  to  put  on  the  boat- 
swain, who  remained  quiet  for  some  time.  The 
irons  happened  to  be  too  small,  and  the  culprit 
having  called  for  man's  irons,  went  forward 
where  he  procured  a  long  knife,  and  swore  he 
would  stab  the  first  man  that  attempted  to  put  him 
in  irons.  The  Captain  now  seized  a  musket  lying 
by  the  poop,  presented  it,  and  told  him,  if  he  did 
not  keep  quiet  he  would  shoot  him.  The  man 
opened  his  jacket,  and  bareing  his  breast,  told 
the  Captain  to  shoot  and  be  damned;  on  which 
the  latter  fired,  and  shot  him  in  the  shoulder,  with 
a  bullet  cut  in  four  pieces.  He  instantly  dropped, 
crying  out  "he  was  murdered."  The  crew  were 
for  rigging  a  whip  to  hang  the  Captain  forthwith 
to  the  yard-arm ;  but  while  they  were  still  debating 
the  matter,  Captain  Jennings  sprung  from  the 
ship  into  a  canoe,  and  was  paddled  by  the  natives 
to  the  shore,  where  the  king,  Tameamah  (Kame- 
hameha),  protected  him.  The  wounded  man 
was  also  taken  on  shore,  but,  from  the  want  of 
proper  assistance,  mortification  ensued;  and  as 
he  would  not  allow  his  arm  to  be  amputated,  in  a 
few  days  he  die.d.  Several  of  the  crew  left  the 
Forester,  vowing  to  be  revenged.  In  the  mean- 
time, Mr.  Biggot,  the  supercargo,  took  the  com- 
mand, and  got  one  Adams  to  navigate  and  some 
islanders  to  work  the  ship.  He  then  sailed  from 


SAIL    FOR    COLUMBIA   RIVER.  41 

Karakakooa  (Kealakekua)  bay  for  the  coast  of 
California,  leaving  Captain  Jennings  and  five  of 
the  crew  orushore.  Some  time  after  his  majesty's 
ship  Cherub,  Captain  Tucker,  touched  atOwhyee 
(Hawaii),  under  American  colours,  and  the 
Forester's  people,  having  ventured  on  board, 
were  detained,  while  their  late  captain  kept  out 
of  the  way.  The  Isaac  Todd  arrived  shortly 
after,  and  his  voyage  to  Canton  in  her  led  to  the 
arrangement  I  have  just  mentioned.  I  sailed 
upwards  of  three  years  with  him  on  board  the 
Columbia,  and  found  him  to  be  every  way  a  pro- 
per person  to  command  a  ship  in  those  seas. 

Previous  to  sailing  from  Wampoa  on  the  28th 
of  April,  we  took  all  the  Sandwich  Islanders  on 
board;  several  of  whom  died  shortly  after.  On 
the  2nd  of  May,  we  weighed  from  Macao  Roads, 
and  made  sail  for  the  Columbia  River.  On  the 
nth  of  May,  we  made  the  South  Bashees;  in  the 
afternoon,  ran  between  Graf  ton  and  Monmouth 
Islands:  and  on  the  i5th,  passed  the  island  of 
Majecosima,  and  several  smaller  islands.  At  this 
time,  Joseph  Ashton,  one  of  the  seamen,  showed 
symptoms  of  insanity,  and  on  the  lyth,  though  he 
then  appeared  quite  sensible  and  worked  at  the 
sails,  he  suddenly  gave  three  Indian  yells,  and 
leaped  from  the  lee-bow  into  the  sea,  where  he 
was  drowned.  On  the  26th,  at  midnight,  we  saw 
Moor's  Island;  bearing N.  by  W.  5  miles,  latitude 
30°  39'  north,  longitude  213°  30'  west,  on  our  pas- 
sage from  Canton  hither  we  had  the  winds  vari- 
able and  much  bad  weather ;  passed  drift-wood 
and  sea-weed  daily :  as  we  approached  the  N.  W. 


42  MURDEROUS    INDIAN    ASSAULT. 

coast,  saw  many  large  trees  with  their  branches 
complete.  Between  the  latitudes  of  30°  and  46° 
north,  and  longitude  of  180°  and  12^°  west,  we 
saw  many  shoals  of  sperm  whale.  On  the  2ist 
of  June  we  buried  two  islanders,  and  on  the  ist 
of  July  crossed  the  bar  of  the  Columbia,  and 
anchored.  At  this  time  the  river  was  full  of 
Indians,  and  we  were  visited  by  them,  bringing 
plenty  of  good  salmon  and  berries.  After  we 
left  the  river,  in  November  1814,  the  natives  had 
been  very  troublesome.  A  blacksmith  and  two 
men  were  sent  a  short  distance  into  the  woods  to 
burn  charcoal,  where  they  commenced  building 
a  hut;  several  Indians  collected  about  them 
apparently  in  a  friendly  manner,  but  the  moment 
an  opportunity  offered,  they  took  the  axes  belong- 
ing to  the  party  and  made  a  furious  attack,  cutting 
and  mangling  them  most  barbarously.  They  then 
ma'de  off,  taking  the  axes  with  them;  and  the 
bodies  were  found  next  morning  by  some  of  the 
people.  A  strict  inquiry  was  set  on  foot  for  the 
authors  of  this  outrage,  king  Comley  offering  his 
services  to  find  them;  and  at  length,  by  the  help 
of  many  valuable  presents  and  some  threats,  two 
of  the  men  were  discovered.  One  of  them  was 
recognized  by  the  Americans ;  he  had  on  a  former 
occasion  been  kicked  from  the  fort  for  theft,  and 
belonged  to  a  tribe  in  the  interior,  denominated 
Soosoonies;  and  it  was  to  revenge  his  disgrace 
that  he  persuaded  some  of  his  nation  to  join  him 
and  murder  the  men.  The  prisoners  were  con- 
fined in  the  bastion,  and  next  morning  led  out, 
blindfolded,  to  be  shot.  They  were  placed  oppo- 


MONTEREY     REVISITED.  43 

site  a  6-pounder,  while  a  party  of  rifle-men  were 
in  the  bastion  ready  to  fire  through  the  loop-holes, 
which  manoeuvre  was  made  use  of  in  order  to 
make  the  Indians  believe  that  they  were  shot  by 
the  great  gun.  The  dead  bodies  were  taken 
down  to  the  wharf  in  coffins,  and  exposed  for 
some  days,  till  their  friends  were  allowed  to  carry 
them  away. 

The  Columbia  now  took  another  trip  to  Mon- 
terey, where  we  recovered  our  people  who 
deserted  when  we  were  last  here,  and  also  four 
of  the  men  that  had  deserted  from  the  Isaac  Todd. 
The  former  returned  to  their  duty ;  the  latter  we 
confined  for  a  while  in  irons.  We  found  the 
cooper  had  not  been  idle ;  he  had  cured  plenty 
of  beef,  and  collected  flour,  beans,  corn,  tallow, 
pease,  etc.,  the  farmers  bringing  these  provisions 
in  daily.  On  our  arrival  a  guard  was  posted  at 
the  landing-place  to  prevent  smuggling;  all  trade, 
except  through  the  governor,  being  prohibited. 
The  Spaniards  were  not  allowed  to  come  on 
board  as  formerly,  neither  were  our  people 
allowed  so  much  liberty  on  shore.  The  town  of 
Monterey  is  most  pleasantly  situated  on  a  beauti- 
ful and  extensive  plain,  and  nearly  half  a  mile 
from  a  sandy  beach.  It  consists  o*f  about  50 
houses  of  one  story,  built  in  a  square,  surrounded 
by  a  stone  wall,  about  18  feet  high;  on  the  south 
side  of  the  square  stands  the  church ;  on  the  west, 
the  governor's  house;  and  on  the  east  side,  the 
lieutenant-governor's  house  and  king's  stores; 
on  the  north  side  is  the  grand  and  principal 
entrance,  gaol,  and  guard-house,  and  in  the 


44  DESCRIPTION    OF    MONTEREY. 

middle  are  two  field-pieces,  6-pounders.  There 
are  many  farm  houses  scattered  over  the  plain, 
with  large  herds  of  cattle  and  sheep ;  on  the  north 
side  of  the  bay,  is  the  river  Carmel,  which  is  full 
of  excellent  salmon  and  other  fish.  The  fort 
stands  on  a  hill,  about  one  mile  to  the  westward 
of  the  town;  and  just  above  the  landing-  place,  it 
is  quite  open  on  the  land-side,  and  embrasures 
thrown  up  on  the  sea  side  mounting  ten  brass 
i2-pounders,  with,  a  good  supply  of  copper-shot. 
At  the  landing-place,  close  to  Captain  Van- 
couver's Observatory,  is  a  battery  of  two  long 
9-pounders,  manned  by  about  thirty  soldiers. 
The  governor,  and  a  few  others,  are  old  Spani- 
ards ;  the  remaining  inhabitants  are  Creoles  of  the 
country.  They  keep  the  Indians  under  great 
subjection,  making  them  work  very  hard,  chained 
two  and  two :  the  whole  population  of  Monterey 
does  not  exceed  400  souls.  About  four  miles  to 
the  southward,  stands  the  Mission  of  Carmel; 
and  about  twelve  miles  to  the  northward,  is  the 
mission  of  Santa  Cruz.  The  bay  is  sheltered  from 
east  to  west,  lying  open  to  the  northerly  winds; 
the  best  anchorage  is  in  seven  fathoms,  the  fort 
bearing  west,  half  a  mile  from  the  shore,  The 
country  is  well  wooded  with  pine  and  oak,  but 
badly  watered.  There  are  many  bears,  wolves, 
foxes,  deer,  beavers,  etc.,  and  in  the  winter  the 
ducks  and  geese  are  very  plentiful,  The  bullocks 
are  sold  at  four  dollars  each,  and  the  sheep  at 
one;  two  ships  touch  here  annually  for  tallow, 
and  to  bring  supplies  for  the  establishments  on 
California. 


CHAPTER     V. 

Takes  cargo  for  the  Russians  at  Norfolk  Sound. — 
Symptoms  of  mutiny. — Arrival. — Russian  settlers 
for  the  Sandwich  Islands. — Arrival  at  Columbia 
River. — Sail  for  Owyhee. — Trade  with  the  Natives. 
Russian  settlers  on  Owyhee. — Sail  for  Canton. — 
Return  to  Columbia  River. — Man  lost  overboard. 
Arrival  at  Norfolk  Sound. — Sail  for  the  Straits 
of  Oonalaska. — Arrival  at  the  Island  of  St.  Paul 
and  St.  George. — Method  of  preserving  the  breed 
of  Seals. — Mode  of  killing  them. — Singular  pro- 
perty of  the  Seal. — Arrive  at  Oonalaska. — Des- 
cription of  the  Town. — Some  Account  of  the 
Natives. 

HAVING  returned  to  Columbia  from  Mon- 
terey, we  speedily  discharged  our  cargo, 
and  took  on  board  afresh  one  for  Norfolk 
Sound.  The  i6th  of  September,  having  com- 
pleted our  wood  and  water,  we  sailed  for  that 
place.  On  the  i8th,  the  people  refused  to  do 
their  duty,  alleging  that  they  had  not  provisions 
enough,  though  their  allowance  was  five  pounds 
of  bread,  three  pounds  of  pork,  six  pounds  of 
beef,  and  two  and  one-fourth  pounds  of  flour  per 
week,  with  peas  and  beans;  tea  morning  and 


4-6  A    FLEET   OF   TRADERS. 

evening,  and  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  rum  per  day. 
We  called  them  aft  to  know  their  grievance,  and 
after  giving  them  a  severe  reprimand,  ordered 
them  to  their  duty,  to  which  they  went  quietly. 
We  were  of  opinion  that  the  Isaac  Todays  people 
headed  this  business,  of  which,  however,  we 
heard  no  more,  as  they  found  the  officers  were 
determined  not  to  be  trifled  with.  On  anchoring 
in  Norfolk  Sound  we  found  four  American 
vessels  lying  there,  from  whom  we  learned  that 
the  war  with  America  was  at  an  end.  The  names 
of  the  Americans  were  the  Okean*  the  Isabella, 
and  Albatross,  formerly  employed  under  the 
Russian  flag,  in  the  sea-otter  fishery  on  Califor- 
nia; the  schooner  Liddy,  with  a  cargo  from 
Canton  for  the  Russians,  and  the  brig  Pedlar, 
commanded  by  Mr.  Hunt,  the  individual  who 
crossed  the  Stony  Mountain.  The  Pedlar  was 
seized  by  the  Russians  for  selling  powder  to  the 
natives  in  the  Sound,  but  was  given  up  before  we 
sailed,  (after  several  attempts  to  get  out,)  on  the 
iyth  of  October,  1815.  The  ship  Isabella  sailed 
at  the  same  time,  while  Dr.  Shefham  (Scheffer), 
a  Russian,  and  some  settlers  for  the  Sandwich 
Islands ;  it  being  their  intention  to  obtain  footing 
there,  as  they  had  done  on  the  coast  of  New 
Albion,  the  N.  W.  coast  of  America,  and  the 
Aluthean  Islands.  The  Sandwich  Islands  indeed, 
would  answer  the  purpose  of  west  India  Islands 
for  them,  as  they  are  so  conveniently  near  the  N. 
W.  coast  of  America,  of  the  whole  of  which  I 
am  of  opinion  the  Russians  will  possess  them- 
selves in  time. 
*  Given  by  other  writers  as  O'Cain.  [ED.] 


ROYAL   WELCOME   AT    KAILUA.  47 

On  the  25th  of  October,  we  again  entered  the 
River  Columbia,  and  sent  the  furs  on  shore  to  be 
re-packed.  In  November,  nine  bark  canoes 
arrived  with  furs  from  the  interior;  on  the  ioth 
we  received  our  cargo  on  board  with  stores,  etc., 
and  on  the  i3th,  made  sail  for  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  Nothing  remarkable  occurred  on  our 
passage,  and  on  the  ioth  of  December  we  made 
the  Island  of  Owyhee  (Hawaii) ;  the  ship  was 
surrounded  with  canoes  filled  with  articles  of 
trade.  On  the  i2th  we  came  too  off  the  village 
of  Tyroa  (Kailua),  half  a  mile  from  the  Morai 
(temple)  on  the  point.  Found  the  American  ship 
Milwoodherz,  purchasing  sandal  wood  at  the  rate 
of  7  dollars  for  133  pounds.  The  King,  Tamea- 
meah  (Kamehameha),  came  on  board  with  the 
gentlemen  we  left  last  year,  who  had  been  well 
treated  by  the  natives  and  wanted  for  nothing. 
On  their  first  landing,  the  King  had  houses  built 
for  them,  and  gave  them  servants  to  attend  on 
them.  His  Majesty  and  the  Queens  were  rejoiced 
to  see  their  old  friend,  Captain  Jenninrs,  and 
after  taking  a  good  proportion  of  wine  they  went 
on  shore  together.  The  Prince  Reoreo  (Liho- 
liho)  and  his  step-sister  Maroo  (Kamamalu)  also 
visited  the  vessel;  the  Prince  was  accompanied 
by  one  of  the  chief  priests ;  he  was  highly  tatooed, 
and  would  not  go  under  deck  for  fear  the  sailors 
or  natives  would  walk  above  him.  Being  the 
greatest  man  on  the  island,  no  person  was  allowed 
to  put  even  a  hand  above  his  head  on  pain  of 
death.  His  sister  was  not  so  ceremonious,  but 
came  below  and  took  her  wine  with  me,  and 
pressed  me  very  much  to  remain  on  Owyhee. 


48  VISIT    OAHU    FOR    REPAIRS. 

The  Russian  had  arrived  and  were  on  shore. 
Dr.  Shefham  (Sheffer)  assured  the  King  that  he 
merely  came  to  collect  plants  and  see  what  the 
Island  produced.  During  our  whole  stay,  our 
decks  were  continually  crowded  with  natives. 
We  shipped  a  large  quantity  of  island  rope,  which 
makes  excellent  running  rigging;  and  the  people 
were  employed  killing  and  salting  pork ;  the  King 
Queens,  Prince  and  Princess  coming  on  board 
daily  and  remaining  until  evening.  Wanting  to 
overhaul  the  rigging  and  caulk  the  ship,  we  deter- 
mined to  run  down  to  Woahoo  (Oahu),  where 
there  is  a  fine  close  harbour.  We  acquainted  the 
King  with  our  intentions,  and  he  sent  one  of  his 
hikanees  (aikanes)  or  confidential  men  on  board, 
named  Kenopoo,  to  accompany  us  and  see  that 
we  should  get  what  we  wanted.  On  the  i6th  of 
December  we  took  leave  of  Tameameah,  (Kame- 
hameha)  and  with  the  ship  full  of  men,  women, 
and  children,  made  sail  for  Woahoo,  passed  the 
Islands  of  Tahoorooa  (Kahoolawe),  Raini  (Lanai), 
and  Morokoi  (Molokai),  and  on  the  i8th  arrived 
at  Woahoo  (Oahu).  We  were  boarded  outside 
by  John  Young,  a  white  man,  who  had  lived  on 
these  islands  upwards  of  33  years :  he  piloted  us 
into  the  harbour  and  we  moored  close  to  the  shore, 
where  thousands  of  the  natives  were  collected, 
and  soon  crowded  us.  Mr.  Manning  (Manini), 
a  Spaniard,  and  Mr.  Harbottle  an  Englishman, 
who  had  been  on  the  island  for  many  years, 
came  on  board,  as  did  also  a  number  of  respect- 
able white  men.  This  being  Sunday  we  gave 
the  people  liberty  to  go  on  shore ;  one  of  the 


BRIEF    VISIT    TO    KAUAI.  49 

men,  who  left  the  Forester  at  Owyhee  (Hawaii), 
came  back  with  them,  and  remained.  Next 
morning1  at  sunrise  we  tired  two  muskets  and 
sent  the  women  out  of  the  ship,  and  at  sundown 
did  the  same  as  a  signal  for  them  to  come  on 
board;  this  practice  we  continued,  and  by  that 
means  kept  the  ship  clear  of  natives.  By  the  29th 
of  December  we  had  completed  repairing  the 
rigging,  caulked  and  painted  the  ship  inside  and 
out,  and  salted  a  quantity  of  pork;  we  then  left 
these  friendly  people,  and  made  sail  towards 
Mooi*  another  of  the  group,  ist  of  January, 
1816,  we  were  close  in  with  the  village  of  Whymea 
fWaimea);  Mr.  Bethune,  Mr.  McDougal,  and 
Mr.  McLennan  went  on  shore;  Peter  Anderson, 
who  had  been  boatswain  of  the  To  in/ u  in  and  left 
by  her  at  Owyhee  (Hawaii),  came  to  us,  and  was 
shipped  as  boatswain.  We  stood  off  and  on  the 
village  all  night,  and  the  next  day  ran  in  between 
the  reefs:  the  natives  came  off  in  great  numbers, 
bringing  hogs,  goats,  and  vegetables  to  barter. 
The  King,  Tamoree  (Kaumualii),  did  not  make 
his  appearance,  but  sent  his  head  man  to  measure 
the  schooner.  On  the  4th  our  gentlemen  came 
on  board,  and  we  sailed  for  China,  where  we 
arrived  on  the  nth  of  February.  The  grand 
mandarin  came  on  board  to  measure  the  vessel, 
and  made  the  usual  present  of  two  lean  bullocks, 
ten  jars  of  sour  stuff  misnamed  wine,  and  ten 
bags  of  something  they  call  flour;  they  were  not 
worth  the  trouble  of  taking  on  board,  and  I  sold 
them  to  the  compradore  for  two  dozen  geese. 

*  Though  misnamed,  the  Author  here  refers  to  the  island  of 
Kauai.    [£D.] 


50  MACAO     TO     OONALASKA. 

April  30th. — Weighed  and  made  sail  from 
Macao  towards  the  N.  W.  coast  of  America.  On 
the  23rd  of  May  we  passed  Ormsby's  Peak,  a 
very  high  rock  that  makes  like  a  ship  in  full  sail, 
and  is  quite  covered  with  birds,  latitude  30°  48' 
north,  longitude  217°  east.  On  the  3ist,  we  lost 
a  young  man,  named  James  Dodd,  overboard 
from  the  main-boom;  the  ship  was  then  running 
ten  knots  per  hour,  with  a  strong  fair  wind:  we 
immediately  rounded-too  and  lowered  a  boat,  but 
the  sea  ran  so  very  high  that  she  could  not 
approach  the  man,  who  sunk,  and  it  was  with 
great  difficulty  we  recovered  the  boat  by  making 
several  tacks  to  windward.  Our  passage  was  the 
quickest  ever  made.  July  nth,  we  saw  Hallibut 
Island;  also  a  remarkable  volcano  on  the  main 
land,  from  which  a  column  of  smoke  ascended. 
Stood  along  towards  the  Straits  of  Oonalaska,  and 
next  day  were  close  up  with  the  island  of  that 
name.  Tacked  one  mile  from  the  west  side  of 
the  Straits,  wind  blowing  in  hard  squalls  from  N. 
W. ;  all  the  islands  in  sight  were  covered  with 
snow;  three  bodarkees,  with  Oonalaska  Indians, 
came  on  board,  abreast  of  Cook's  harbour.  They 
had  been  out  fishing,  and  returning  home;  the}^ 
gave  us  some  fish  and  we  gave  them  rum  in 
exchange.  July  iyth,  off  the  island  of  St. 
George,  we  were  boarded  by  two  bodarkees, 
with  one  Russian  and  four  Indians;  next  day 
we  got  off  the  landing  place  where  there  was  a 
considerable  store,  a  large  bodarkee  came  on 
board  and  took  the  cargo  onshore,  and  by  the 
evening  we  had  taken  on  board  313  bales  of  fur 


METHOD    OF    SEALING.  51 

seal-skins.  The  Russians  brought  us  off  plenty 
of  gull's  eggs,  salted  ducks,  and  a  number  of 
young  sea  lions,  which  we  found  very  good  eating. 

The  islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  George  are 
within  sight  of  each  other;  the  Russians  keep  12 
men  on  each,  for  the  purpose  of  curing  the  fur- 
seal-skin,  with  which  these  islands  abound.  They 
take  40,000  annually,  and  still  the  seal  does  not 
decrease.  The  mode  they  pursue  is  as  follows: 
The  seal  comes  on  shore  to  pup  in  July,  and  stays 
the  whole  summer,  leaving  a  sufficient  number  of 
clapmatches  and  wigs:  the  hunters  drive  up  the 
last  year's  pups  like  a  flock  of  sheep,  out  of  sight 
and  hearing  of  the  old  ones,  and  knock  them  on 
the  head ;  taking  care  not  to  let  one  of  those 
driven  up  escape.  Each  summer's  pups  go  to 
sea  and  comes  on  shore  next  summer,  and  are  fit 
to  kill.  They  leave  the  islands  in  November 
very  lean;  they  take  in  several  smooth  stones 
about  the  size  of  an  egg,  I  suppose  for  ballast. 
I  could  never  find  out  where  the  seal  winters; 
but  certain  it  is,  they  must  have  a  place  where 
they  remain  during  that  season  and  feed,  which 
has  not  yet  been  discovered.  The  people  on 
these  islands  live  under  ground ;  they  collect 
drift-wood  enough  in  summer  to  last  the  winter; 
they  live  chiefly  on  sea-lion  meat  jerked,  pickled 
ducks,  gull's  eggs  preserved  in  oil,  etc. 

On  the  24th  we  saw  the  ship-rock,  and  could 
hear  the  roaring  of  the  sea-lion  and  elephant, 
long  before  we  could  see  the  rock,  it  being  very 
foggy.  On  its  clearing  away,  we  saw  the  island 
of  Oonalaska,  and  stood  towards  Cook's  Straits. 


52  OONALASKA    THE    CHIEF    DEPOT. 

The  next  day  it  came  on  to  blow  hard  from  S .  E. ; 
made  sail  for  the  harbour,  black  whale  blowing 
in  all  directions;  we  found  a  snug  town,  church, 
etc.,  the  natives  were  all  employed  drying  salmon 
for  the  winter.  Captain  Jennings  and  the  gentle- 
men accompanied  the  governor  on  shore;  they 
took  some  rum  with  them  to  treat  the  Russians, 
who  have  a  numerous  herd  of  cattle  and  make 
excellent  butter  and  cheese.  They  keep  two 
skin-boats  constantly  employed  in  summer,  col- 
lecting the  drift-wood  about  the  island,  which  is 
the  only  fuel  they  have.  We  lay  here  until  the 
2Qth,  when  we  made  sail  towards  Cook's  Straits. 
While  we  lay  about  these  islands  we  had  not 
more  than  three  clear  days. 

The  Island  of  Oonalaska  is  in  the  latitude  of 
53°  55'  north,  and  longitude  166°  22'  west.  The 
island  is  the  chief  depot  for  all  the  furs  collected 
on  the  Aluthean  Islands;  and  appears  quite 
barren,  without  the  least  sign  of  wood.  There 
is  an  excellent  harbour,  off  the  N.  W.  side,  cap- 
able of  holding  several  hundred  vessels,  and 
completely  land-locked.  The  town  consists  of 
about  twenty  houses,  a  church,  and  some  large 
sheds  for  the  purpose  of  drying  salmon  and  other 
fish.  There  are  about  twelve  Russians  here  ;  the 
remainder  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  are 
Kodiacs,  and  natives  of  the  island,  all  converts 
to  the  Greek  church.  The  natives  of  these,  as 
well  as  of  all  the  Aluthean  Islands,  are  low  in 
stature,  broad,  flat  faces,  with  black  eyes,  and 
coarse  black  hair.  Their  dress  consists  of  a 
loose  frock,  made  of  the  skins  of  ducks  and  other 


HABITS    AND    DRESS    OF    THE    INDIANS.  53 

birds,  sewed  neatly  tog-ether;  this  part  of  the 
dress  is  the  same  in  both  sexes.  When  the  men 
go  in  their  canoes  to  hunt  or  fish,  they  wear  a 
dress  of  the  entrails  of  the  seal;  it  is  made  like  a 
large  loose  shirt,  with  a  hood,  and  is  water-proof. 
They  also  wear  trowsers  and  boots,  made  from 
the  throat  of  the  sea-lion  or  elephant,  which  are 
water-proof  also.  They  are  extremely  fond  of 
ornaments,  particularly  of  beads,  with  which  they 
ornament  their  garments  and  person;  they  wear 
them  round  the  neck,  and  pendant  from  the  nose 
and  ears,  through  which  many  holes  are  made. 
The  men  have  a  helmet  or  cap,  ornamented  with 
the  beard  of  the  sea-lion  and  with  seed-beads. 
All  the  natives  use  paint.  There  are  several 
villages  about  the  harbour,  but  the  island  seems 
very  thinly  peopled,  owing,  I  suppose,  to  the 
number  that  are  employed  by  the  Russians  on  their 
establishments  on  the  N.  W.  coast  of  America 
Their  canoes  or  bodarkees,  are  made  from  the 
skins  of  the  hair-seal,  stretched  over  a  light 
wooden  frame,  leaving  one,  two,  or  three  holes  on 
the  top  for  the  sitters ;  the  frame  is  sometimes  of 
whalebone,  and  the  vessels  are  from  10  to  i6feet 
long,  and  about  3  feet  wide  in  the  middle,  gradu- 
ally tapering  towards  the  ends.  They  are  pulled 
with  great  swiftness  by  a  double  paddle,  about 
12  feet  long,  with  a  blade  at  each  end,  and  held 
by  the  middle;  they  are  generally  made  of  ask. 
The  canoes  perform  voyages  along  the  coast  for 
several  hundred  miles,  for  the  purpose  of  hunt- 
ing the  sea-otter  and  seal ;  they  also  kill  black 
whales,  which  are  about  these  islands  in  great 
plenty.  If  in  their  hunting  excursions  they  are 


54  DEXTEROUS    RRAI.P.RS    AM)    HUNTEKS. 

overtaken  by  a  gale  of  wind,  they  lash  all  their 
canoes  together  in  form  of  a  raft,  and  in  this 
manner  float  lightly  on  the  top  of  the  sea  without 
the  least  danger.  The  large  boats,  or  bodarkees, 
are  made  from  the  skins  of  the  sea-lion  or 
elephant,  stretched  over  a  stout  wooden  frame, 
open  at  the  top,  and  are  capable  of  carrying  50 
or  60  men.  In  these  boats  they  go  to  all  the 
Aluthean  Islands,  to  collect  the  furs;  and  some- 
times to  the  main  land,  for  timber.  In  catching 
the  sea-otter  and  seal,  these  people  are  very 
dexterous;  they  conceal  themselves  behind  the 
rocks,  and  throw  out  a  seal-skin  blown,  with  a 
line  affixed,  and  draw  it  gently  towards  the  shore  : 
the  seal  or  sea-otter  following  till  within  reach  of 
their  spears,  they  are  easily  captured.  In  hunt- 
ing, they  wear  masks  and  skins  to  represent  the 
beasts  they  are  in  pursuit  of;  they  always  carry  a 
rifle  with  them,  in  the  use  of  which  they  are  very 
dexterous.  All  of  them  are  extremely  fond  of 
rum,  and  they  often  part  writh  their  garments  and 
hunting  utensils,  to  purchase  a  small  quantity. 
Their  principal  food  consists  of  the  black  whale; 
also  salmon,  cod,  hallibut,  herrings,  etc.  When 
these  fish  are  in  season,  they  cure  sufficient  to 
last  them  through  the  winter,  by  drying  and 
smoking  them,  without  salt;  they  also  eat  their 
victuals  without  it;  and  the  reason  they  give  is, 
that  it  hurts  the  sight.  Whether  this  be  the  case 
or  not,  all  the  natives  are  very  sharp-sighted. 
On  this  island  they  have  about  40  head  of  fine 
cattle,  first  imported  from  the  Spanish  Main;  they 
have  also  some  large  hogs,  which  are  fed  on  fish, 
and  consequently  not  very  delicate. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

The  Winter  of  1816,  on  the  Columbia  River. — Alarm- 
ing Fire.  — Sail  for  the  Sandwich  Islands.-- Ac- 
count of  the  Columbia. — Manners  and  Customs 
of  the  Natives. 

IN  August,  1816,  we  once  more  touched  at  the 
Columbia,  unloaded,  and  refitted.  We  lived 
in  tents  on  shore,  within  a  fence  erected  to 
keep  the  Indians  from  stealing  our  tools.  On  the 
3rd  of  September  our  cook  died,  after  four 
months'  illness.  On  the  gth,  two  canoes,  belong- 
ing to  the  Northwest  Company,  arrived  from  the 
interior;  they  had  left  the  brigade,  consisting  of 
nine  canoes  and  about  seventy  men,  encamped 
at  Oak  Point,  sixty  miles  up  the  river.  On  the 
ist  of  October,  the  whole  brigade  of  canoes 
arrived  with  furs;  and,  on  the  5th,  they  again 
sailed  (well  armed)  with  stores  for  the  interior, 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  McKenzie.  At  this 
time,  the  season  is  wet;  we  therefore  built  sheds 
for  the  carpenters  to  work  under;  and,  to  the 
middle  of  November,  all  hands  were  working 
hard  to  get  the  vessel  ready  for  sea  before  the 
winter  set  in. 

November  the  2ist,  we  were  much  alarmed  by 
a  fire  breaking  out,  about  seven  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  at  the  fort:  we  lost  no  time  in  hastening 


56  COMPLETE    OUR    REFITTING. 

to  their  assistance  with  our  buckets,  and  in  the 
course  of  half  an  hour  got  it  completely  under  with 
the  loss  of  only  one  house.  Providentially,  it 
was  raining1  very  hard,  as,  if  there  had  been  the 
least  wind,  the  whole  place  must  inevitably  have 
been  destroyed,  with  all  our  rigging,  sails,  stores, 
etc.,  and  we  should  have  been  left  at  the  mercy 
of  barbarous  Indians,  without  the  means  of  help- 
ing ourselves.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  fire, 
the  natives  all  fled  from  the  village,  making  a 
dreadful  noise. 

December  ist,  our  hull  being  complete,  we 
hauled  off  in  the  stream  to  take  our  masts  in,  after 
having  lain  on  shore  for  nearly  four  months t 
The  first  month  of  our  stay  here,  the  weather 
was  delightful,  and  we  were  well  supplied  with 
excellent  salmon  and  sturgeon,  and  a  variety  of 
small  fish.  Latterly  we  had  much  rain,  thunder 
and  lightning,  heavy  gales  of  wrind  from  S.W.  to 
S.E.  The  N.W.  winds  prevailed  here  in  sum- 
mer, and,  in  the  winter,  from  S.  W.  to  S.  E., 
with  thick,  rainy  weather.  While  here,  I  em- 
ployed an  Indian  hunter,  who,  with  my  finding 
powder  and  shot,  supplied  the  ship  with  ducks, 
geese,  and  swans,  for  one  blanket.  He  furnish- 
ed me  so  largely,  that  I  made  him  a  present  of  the 
musket,  when  I  left  the  river,  for  which  he  was 
most  grateful,  and  made  me  many  presents. 

On  the  6th,  of  January,  1817,  Lewis  Lapham, 
our  armourer,  died,  truly  regretted,  as  he  was  a 
very  serviceable  man.  On  the  roth,  we  crossed 
the  bar  and  got  safe  to  sea.  And  now,  while  the 
ship  is  making  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  I  shall 


COLUMBIA    RIVER    APPROACHES.  57 

endeavour  to  give  an  account  of  the  Columbia 
River,  with  the  manners  of  the  people. 

Cape  Disappointment  forms  the  north  point  of 
the  river;  it  is  in  the  latitude  of  46°  19'' north  and 
longitude  123°  54'  west;  it  is  high,  bluff  land,  very 
remarkable,  and  covered  with  wood.  On  that 
part  which  faces  the  S.W.,  there  are  a  great 
many  dead  trees ;  and  the  bluff,  or  face  of  the 
cape,  is  quite  bare.  Point  Adams  forms  the 
south  side  of  the  river;  it  is  a  low  point,  about 
seven  miles  from  Cape  Disappointment,  in  a  S.E. 
direction,  with  a  number  of  trees  scattered  over 
it.  There  is  a  sand-bank  which  runs  from  Point 
Adams  to  \vithin  two  miles  of  the  cape,  and  also 
another  which  runs  from  point  Disappointment, 
in  a  S.W.  direction,  about  two  miles;  this  bank, 
of  course,  lies  considerably  outside  the  other,  and 
the  two  are  formed  by  the  sea  heaving  up  the 
sand  when  the  wind  sets  in  strong  from  the  S.W., 
when,  for  some  days,  the  sea  breaks  from  point 
to  point  without  any  channel,  and  after  the  wind 
abates,  the  channel  is  again  opened  by  the  tide, 
which  strikes  Cape  Disappointment,  turns  off  in 
a  S.W.  direction,  and  divides  both  sands.  Ships 
going  into  the  river,  may  stand  in  without  fear  in 
mid-channel,  till  they  bring  the  easternmost  bluff 
of  the  cape  to  bear  N.  E.,  then  haul  up  for  it 
immediately,  and,  if  bound  into  Baker's  Ba3T, 
keep  close  round  the  cape,  and  come  too  in  five 
fathoms,  the  cape  bearing  south.  Upon  getting 
into  the  bay,  you  lose  the  tide;  if  bound  up  the 
river,  run  out  of  the  bay,  and  bring  Tongue  Point 
Open  about  a  ship's  length,  with  Chinook  or 


58         DIRECTIONS    IN    ENTERING    THE    RIVER. 

Village  Point,  the  former  makes  like  an  island, 
and  is  about  seven  miles  above  point  Adams,  on 
the  south  side  of  the  river;  the  latter  is  a  remark- 
able hill,  about  seven  miles  above  Cape  Dis- 
appointment, known  by  a  large  clear  patch  on 
the  side,  and  the  only  clear  piece  of  ground  in 
sight.  In  mid-channel,  you  have  from  seven  to 
nine  fathoms  sandy  bottom.  In  beating  up  or 
down,  come  no  nearer  the  shore  than  four 
fathoms,  or  farther  off  than  thirteen  fathoms, 
which  you  will  have  on  the  edge  of  the  banks; 
there  is  good  anchorage  above  Chinook  Point, 
in  eight  fathoms.  The  river  is  full  of  sand  banks, 
formed  by  the  numerous  small  rivers  that  branch 
off  in  various  directions  from  the  main  one.  The 
country,  on  both  sides,  is  formed  of  impenetra- 
ble woods,  chiefly  pine,  elder,  maple,  and  birch 
trees;  further  up,  there  are  plenty  of  good  oaks 
and  ash.  The  first  tribe  of  Indians  we  saw  were 
called  the  Chickeloes,  under  a  chief,  named 
Calpo.  The^y  come  from  a  place  called  Classet, 
to  the  northward  of  the  river,  on  the  sea  coast, 
and  bring  otter  and  beaver  skins  to  trade  at  the 
fort.  They  encamp  in  Baker's  Bay.  and  con- 
tinue, from  June  to  October,  curing  salmon 
and  sturgeon  for  the  winter.  They  are  a  very 
warlike  people,  and  extremely  dangerous,  taking 
every  advantage  if  you  are  off  your  guard.  So 
hostile  and  treacherous  were  they,  that  we  never 
allowed  the  men  of  this  tribe  to  come  on  board. 
About  rive  miles  up  the  river,  on  the  north  side, 
stands  the  Chinook  village.  The  king  of  this 
tribe  is  called  Com  Comly,  or  Madsaw,  which,  in 


CHINOOK    VILLAGE    DESCRIBED.  59 

the  Chinook  tongue,  signifies  Thunder.  The 
village  consists  of  about  thirty  houses,  built  of 
wood,  and  very  large ;  they  are  formed  of  boards, 
with  the  edges  resting  on  each  other,  and  fastened 
with  stripes  of  bark  to  upright  posts,  which  are 
stuck  in  the  ground  on  either  side  of  them. 
Some  have  ridge-pole  and  rafters,  but  the  chief 
part  are  nearly  flat  on  the  top ;  they  have  old  mats 
spread  inside  and  out,  to  keep  out  the  wind  and 
rain.  In  every  house  there  are  from  five  to  fifteen 
families,  and  each  family  has  a  fire  in  the  middle 
of  the  building.  On  the  sides  they  have  their 
bed  places,  raised  about  a  foot  from  the  earth, 
and  covered  with  mats;  where  they  -pig  in  all 
together,  men,  women,  and  children.  The  houses 
are  decorated  with  rude  carved  images,  which 
they  call  clam  as,  or  gods,  but  they  do  not  seem 
to  pay  any  kind  of  homage  or  attention  to  them. 
Their  furniture  consists  of  boxes  or  chests,  hol- 
lowed from  the  solid  wood,  of  all  sizes,  and 
curiously  carved;  and  of  a  number  of  baskets, 
which  they  work  so  close  as  to  hold  water.  In 
the  boxes  they  keep  their  property  and  spare 
garments,  and  also  their  dry  provision.  When 
the  Indians  shift  to  their  winter  quarters,  they 
carry  all  the  planks  and  mats  of  their  houses  with 
them,  leaving  nothing  but  the  rafters  and  frame 
standing.  They  are  filthy  to  the  extreme;  allow 
whole  piles  of  fish  entrails  and  other  uncleanness 
to  lie  in  the  middle  of  the  houses,  never  attempt- 
ing to  clear  it  away.  Even  in  their  eating  they 
are  very  nasty;  I  have  frequently  seen  them  with 
a  piece  of  meat,  half  roasted,  in  the  dirt  and 


60  INDIAN    MANNERS    AND    CUSTOMS. 

ashes,  lying-  on  the  ground  with  their  feet  on  it, 
and  tearing1  like  wild  beasts  with  their  teeth. 
After  their  fish  is  boiled,  they  turn  it  out  on  a 
mat,  or,  if  they  have  not  got  one  readily,  on  the 
ground,  and  collect  round  it  like  a  pack  of 
hounds,  devouring  dirt  and  all.  Their  mode  of 
boiling  fish,  vegetables,  etc.,  is  rather  singular, 
and  deserves  to  be  related.  They  put  whatever 
is  to  be  cosked  into  a  basket,  and,  nearly  rilling 
it  with  water,  place  it  on  the  ground;  they  then 
proceed  to  boil  or  sodden  it,  by  putting  in  red-hot 
stones  (of  which  they  have  a  number  for  the  pur- 
pose) in  quick  succession,  until  the  victuals  are 
done  to  their  satisfaction. 

The  chief  employment  of  the  men  is  to  hunt 
and  fish;  they  are,  however,  generally  speaking, 
very  lazy,  and  their  young  men  lie  basking  in  the 
sun,  on  the  sides  of  the  river,  for  hours  together. 
The  women  and  girls  are  employed  in  making 
hats,  mats,  etc.,  and  in  collecting  berries  and 
wood.  These  people  have  not  the  least  notion 
of  tilling  the  ground;  they  trust  to  Providence 
for  every  thing,  and  derive  their  chief  support 
from  the  river  and  sea.  They  collect  plenty  of 
berries  and  fish  in  summer  to  last  them  through 
the  winter.  The  former  they  preserve  by  mixing 
them  up  with  salmon  or  seal  oil,  and,  making 
them  into  lumps,  set  them  to  dry  in  the  sun. 
When  sufficiently  dry,  they  are  laid  by  in  boxes 
and  baskets  for  winter.  The  salmon  they  cure 
by  splitting  it  up  into  four  slices,  and  running 
splinters  of  wood  across  them.  These  they  also 
dry  in  the  sun,  and  then  hang  them  up  in  the 


DRESS    OF    THE    INDIANS.  6 1 

houses,  where  they  are  soon  smoked  and  laid  by 
for  use.  They  are  cured  without  salt,  which  is 
never  used.  The  Indian  women  are  complete 
drudges,  yet  they  seem  to  work  cheerfully. 
They  have  a  root  here  like  the  potato,  called  by 
the  natives  wapitoe;  it  grows  chiefly  in  swampy 
ground,  and  is  collected  in  September. 

The  men  are  very  stout  and  hardy;  their  height 
from  five  feet  to  five  feet  eight  inches,  well  pro- 
portioned, and  with  very  little  beard.  They  wear 
a  dress  made  of  the  skins  of  the  wood-rat,  sewed 
neatly  together  and  thrown  over  the  shoulders; 
this  garment  is  the  same  in  both  sexes  (with  the 
addition  of  a  petticoat,  which  the  women  wear.) 
It  goes  under  the  right  arm  and  above  the  left, 
where  it  fastens  with  a  wooden  skewer,  being 
open  down  the  side,  so  that  it  leaves  both  arms 
at  liberty  for  the  use  of  their  weapons.  Their 
ears  are  perforated  in  many  parts,  and  small  bits 
of  leather  fastened  in,  from  which  hang  shells  in 
shape  not  much  dissimilar  to  a  game  cock's  spur, 
and  about  one  inch  in  length.  These  shells  are 
called  hiaqua.  The  nose  is  also  perforated,  from 
which  beads 'are  suspended;  and  sometimes  a 
large  goose  or  swan's  quill  is  pushed  through. 
They  anoint  their  bodies  with  a  sort  of  red  ochre 
and  seal  oil ;  and  are  very  expert  in  the  use  of  the 
bow,  bludgeon,  and  dagger.  Their  bows  are 
made  of  pine,  about  four  feet  long,  and,  in  the 
middle,  two  inches  broad,  tapering  off  towards 
each  end.  The  sinew  of  the  elk  is  laid  on  the 
back  of  the  bow,  which  bends  it  the  contrary  way 
and  strengthens  it;  the  string  is  also  made  of  the 


62  CHINOOKS     EXPERT     MARKSMEN. 

sinew  of  the  elk,  and  it  requires  a  man  of  some 
strength  to  string  them.  The  Chinooks  are  very 
expert  in  the  use  of  this  weapon ;  they  will  stand 
on  the  deck  and  stick  an  arrow  into  the  truck  with 
ease.  Their  arrows  are  made  of  light  wood,  and 
pointed  with  stone,  bone,  glass,  ivory,  or  iron. 
Those  barbed  with  ivo^  I  have  seen  pierce  a 
three-quarter  of  an  inch  plank  at  twelve  yards 
distance.  One  day  some  of  our  people  were 
practising  the  bow  on  board;  they  stood  aft,  and 
endeavored  to  strike  a  small  looking-glass  placed 
on  the  bow  of  the  vessel,  but  none  of  them  could 
succeed.  An  Indian,  who  was  standing  by, 
laughed  most  heartily  at  them,  and  taking  up  his 
bow,  stood  on  the  stern,  and  shooting,  broke  the 
glass  in  pieces,  at  a  distance  of  95  feet,  the  mark 
being  about  three  inches  square.  The  bludgeon 
is  made  of  bone  or  iron,  about  two  feet  long,  and 
stout  in  proportion,  and  handsomely  carved  and 
ornamented;  the  daggers  are  made  of  flint-stone 
or  iron,  and  are  held  by  the  middle,  so  that  they 
use  both  ends.  The  natives  have  a  kind  of  loop 
to  the  bludgeon  and  dagger,  which  goes  over  the 
wrist,  to  prevent  their  being  wrenched  out  of  their 
hands ;  and  they  never  stir  out  without  one  of 
these  weapons.  Their  original  tools  are  chisels 
made  out  of  the  pine  knot,  axes  of  stone,  and 
stone  mallets.  With  these  the3^  split  large  cedar 
trees  into  planks,  with  which  they  build  then- 
houses.  Their  canoes  are  very  simple ;  some  are 
large  enough  to  carry  30  people,  being  about  40 
feet  long,  the  middle  nearly  six  feet  broad,  and 
becoming  gradually  narrower  toward  the  end. 


DESCRIPTION    OF    CHINOOK    WOMEN.  63 

They  are  about  two  feet  deep,  handsomely  orna- 
mented and  painted ;  the  ornamental  parts  are  the 
teeth  of  the  wolf  and  sea-otter,  which  navigators 
have  taken  for  human  teeth.  The  paddles  are 
made  light  and  small,  the  length  generally  6  feet, 
of  which  2)/2  feet  forms  the  blade;  the  lower  end 
is  forked  like  a  fish's  tail,  and  the  upper  end  is 
crutched  very  neatly.  In  the  canoes  they  keep 
nets,  hooks,  harpoons,  and  fish-gigs,  etc.,  also 
long  spears  for  spearing  salmon.  The  Chinook 
women  are  short  and  very  stout,  with  thick  and 
often  bandy  legs.  Their  hair,  which  is  jet  black, 
they  allow  to  hang  loose  all  round  their  heads 
and  over  their  shoulders,  never  cutting  it  off 
unless  at  the  death  of  some  near  relative.  They 
wear,  as  I  have  noticed,  a  petticoat  made  of 
rushes  twisted  over  a  string,  with  ends  hanging 
loosely  down.  This  garment  reaches  the  knee, 
and  keeps  them  very  warm.  The  war-dress  of 
the  men  is  made  of  the'elk-skin,  which  is  dressed 
in  the  interior ;  it  is  very  thick  and  yet  pliable ;  an 
arrow  cannot  penetrate  it,  and  I  have  even  tried 
with  a  pistol-ball  at  the  distance  of  12  yards  with- 
out effect,  It  is  worn  exactly  as  the  common 
dress,  but  is  doubled  about  the  body.  The  men 
also  wear  a  hat  in  the  shape  of  a  cone,  with  a 
string  that  fastens  under  the  chin.  These  people 
have  a  horrid  custom  of  flattening  the  heads  of 
infants.  When  a  child  is  born,  they  lay  it  in  a 
small  canoe  or  cradle  made  for  that  purpose; 
they  then  fix  a  pad  on  the  forehead  and  bind  it 
tight  down,  and  keep  it  so  till  it  broadens  the  face 
and  forces  the  eye  out,  giving  them  a  most  fero- 


64  POLYGAMY     PRACTICED. 

cious  appearance.  When  the  child  screams  with 
pain,  they  loosen  the  bandage  and  hold  it  to  the 
breast;  the  flatter  the  head  is,  the  greater  the 
beauty  in  their  estimation.  Polygamy  is  allowed, 
and  they  keep  three  or  four  wives ;  they  are  not 
jealous,  and  so  far  from  being  at  all  delicate,  they 
allow  their  women  to  go  on  board  ship,  and 
remain  for  weeks,  taking  care,  however,  to  be 
well  paid  beforehand.  Their  mode  of  burying 
the  dead  is  to  fasten  them  in  a  small  canoe  with 
all  their  property,  and  hang  the  vessel  up  between 
two  trees  or  stakes:  they  then  cover  them  with 
mats. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Royal  Family. — Anecdote. — Native  Tribes. — Religions 
Ideas. — Habits. — Climate. — Traffic. — Slave  Trade 
by  the  Americans;  their  Practices;  instance  of 
Captain  Ayres. — Animals;  War  Canoes. — Voyage 
to  the  Sandwich  Islands;  notice  of  several  of  these. 
— The  Kings  Mercantile  Speculations. — New  Rus- 
sian Establishment. — Method  of  curing  Pork. — 
Norfolk  Sound. — Jealousy  of  tlu  Russians. — 
Native  Women. — Hostility  between  the  Natives 
and  Russians. 

COM  COMLEY,  king  of  the  Chinook  nation, 
is  the  richest  and  most  powerful  chief  on  the 
river;  he  is  a  short,  elderly  man,  blind  of 
one  eye;  he  has  three  wives,  and  many  children. 
His  eldest  son  (Cassacas)  is  a  strong,  well-made 
man,  about  5  feet  6  inches  high;  he  succeeds  his 
father  in  the  government  of  the  Chinooks ;  he  is 
no  friend  to  white  men;  he  styles  himself  Prince 
of  Wales.  Selechel  is  the  next  son;  he  styles 
himself  Duke  of  York;  he  is  a  small  man,  and 
well  disposed  towards  the  whites.  While  we  lay 
in  the  river,  a  man  belonging  to  a  tribe  in  the 
interior,  called  Soosoonees,  came  to  Chinook, 
and  fired  an  arrow  at  Com  Comley  while  bathing 


66  A    TRIBAL    WAR    AVERTED. 

in  the  river,  and  fled  to  the  woods.  The  king- 
instantly  dispatched  his  head  slave  (who  was  a. 
favourite)  in  pursuit  of  the  man  who  had  crossed 
over  to  the  fort;  the  slave  came  up  with  him  at 
the  entrance  of  the  woods,  and  with  one  blow 
of  his  bludgeon  brought  him  to  the  ground, 
and  dispatched  him  with  a  dagger.  He  then 
painted  himself  black,  tied  his  hair  up  in  a  bunch, 
bound  his  arms  and  legs  with  grass,  and  went 
through  the  woods  for  three  days  and  nights, 
crying  the  war-hoop,  as  a  challenge  of  defiance. 
In  the  night  we  were  much  alarmed  at  the  dread- 
ful yelling,  and  put  ourselves  on  guard  against 
the  worst,  having  seen  many  war  canoes  hovering 
about,  and  all  the  natives  making  warlike  prepara- 
tions. King  Com  Comley,  however,  made  it  up 
with  the  party,  and  prevented  bloodshed. 

A  little  above  Com  Comley's  village  is  another 
belonging  to  the  Chinook  tribe,  under  a  chief 
called  Tackum,  consisting  of  about  30  houses. 
On  Point  Adams  there  is  a  large  village  and  tribe 
denominated  Cladsaps,  who  differ  in  nothing 
from  the  Chinooks;  these,  with  the  Chickeloes, 
are  the  only  tribes  about  the  entrance  of  the  river. 
All  these  people  are  superstitious  to  an  excess, 
believing  in  spirits  and  supernatural  agency. 
Apparently  they  have  no  professed  religion, 
though  they  universally  acknowledge  one  good 
spirit,  who  governs  all  things ;  and  when  it 
thunders  they  say  he  is  angry.  They  also  believe 
jn  an  evil  spirit,  and  in  rewards  and  punishments 
hereafter.  A  confused  idea  prevails  among  them, 
that  the  world  was  destroyed  by  water,  and  will 


RELIGIOUS    IDEAS    AND    CUSTOMS.  67 

be  again  destroyed  by  the  same  element.  They 
say,  that  when  a  good  man  dies,  he  goes  to  a 
world  where  there  is  plenty  of  provisions,  and 
where  there  is  no  occasion  to  work;  and  on  the 
contrary,  when  a  bad  man  dies,  he  will  go  to  a 
country  where  the  provisions  are  scare,  and 
where  he  will  be  forced  to  work  hard,  and  meet 
with  many  and  great  difficulties.  It  may  be 
gathered  from  this  what  is  indeed  the  truth,  that 
these  Indians  have  a  very  great  aversion  to  work. 
They  observe  the  rite  of  circumcision,  and  have 
slaves  whom  they  purchase  from  other  tribes, 
prisoners  who  have  been  taken  in  war.  On  the 
death  of  a  chief,  from  three  to  six  slaves  are 
sacrificed,  according  to  the  rank  of  the  deceased. 
In  the  winter  season  all  the  tribes  move  back  to 
the  woods,  where  they  have  their  winter  villages. 
In  summer  they  catch  sturgeon,  salmon,  and  a 
variety  of  small  fish,  etc. ;  in  the  fall  of  the  year 
they  have  plenty  of  ducks,  geese,  and  swans, 
and  in  spring  an  abundance  of  small  fish  like 
sardines.  The  climate  is  much  the  same  as  in 
England:  from  May  till  October  the  weather  is 
very  fine,  the  wind  generally  blowing  from  N.  W. 
to  N.  E.  The  wet  season  commences  in  Novem- 
ber with  heavy  gales  from  S.  W.  to  S.  E.  with 
much  rain  and  thunder.  In  some  seasons  the 
frost  sets  in  early  in  November,  and  lasts  for  a 
month  or  two,  after  which  the  rains  commence, 
and  continues  for  the  same  time.  During  summer 
many  of  the  tribes  from  the  interior  visit  the  fort 
with  furs,  and  always  encamp  in  a  small  bay  close 
to  it,  where  they  are  protected.  Disputes  fre- 


68  SLAVES    IN    KXCTJANGE    FOR    FURS. 

quently  occur  between  these  tribes  and  King 
Comley's  tribe,  in  consequence  of  their  having 
diverted  some  of  the  trade  out  of  his  hands.  He 
used  to  take  goods  up  the  country,  and  trade 
with  the  tribes  there,  bringing  the  furs  to  the  fort, 
where  he  had  a  profit  of  nearly  half,  so  that  it  was 
to  his  advantage  to  keep  them  from  the  fort,  by 
telling  them  the  white  men  were  bad,  and  would 
take  them  off  and  make  slaves  of  them.  I  am 
sorry  to  say  that  the  slave  trade  is  carried  on,  on 
this  coast,  to  a  very  great  extent  by  the  Americans. 
They  buy  slaves  to  the  southward  and  take  them 
to  the  northward,  where  they  exchange  them  for 
the  sea  otter  and  other  furs.  If  they  cannot  buy 
the  slaves  cheap,  they  make  no  scruple  to  carry 
them  off  by  force.  A  Captain  Ayres,  of  the  ship 
Mercury,  took  twelve  from  the  Columbia  river  in 
this  manner,  but  while  bearing  down  the  coast, 
seven  of  them  seized  the  \vhale-boat  and  ran  from 
the  ship;  only  one,  however,  arrived  at  the  river. 
This  Captain  Ayres  was  so  oppressive  that  three 
of  his  men  left  him,  and  were  kept  b}'  Com  Corn- 
ley  for  twelve  months ;  they  afterwards  got  off  in 
the  American  ship  Albatross. 

The  chief  articles  of  trade  given  in  exchange 
to  all  the  natives  on  the  coast  are  muskets, 
blankets,  powder,  shot,  red  paint,  (which  they 
use  to  paint  their  faces,)  tobacco,  beads,  buttons, 
thick  brass  wire,  with  which  they  make  bracelets, 
rings,  etc.;  ready-made  clothes  are  in  great 
demand;  but,  in  fact,  any  trifling  toys  will  please 
them.  The  country  is  full  of  bears,  wolves, 
tiger-cats,  foxes,  racoons,  rabbits,  muskrats, 


REVISIT    THE    SANDWICH    ISLANDS.  69 

wood-rats,  deer,  elk,  land  otter,  beaver,  and  many 
other  animals.  The  sea  otters  are  taken  on  the 
coast,  but  never  enter  the  river.  The  war  canoes 
are  hewn, out  of  a  tree,  generally  the  same  length 
as  the  others,  and  the  same  breadth;  fore  and  aft 
they  have  a  kind  of  curve  about  3  feet  above  the 
gunwale  at  each  end;  these  curves  are  from  3  to 
4  feet  wide,  and  in  them  are  a  sort  of  loop-holes, 
through  which  they  shoot  their  arrows  in  perfect 
safety. 

What  surprises  the  Indians  very  much  is,  that 
the  people  who  come  here  in  ships  should  know 
those  who  came  overland;  and  that  those  who 
travel  across  the  country  should  return  again  in 
ships. 

It  may  be  remembered,  we  left  the  river  on  the 
loth  day  of  January,  1817,  for  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  our  object  was,  to  refit  the  brig-  and  cure 
pork.  We  were  also  to  bring-  as  many  of  the 
Sandwich  Islanders  to  the  Columbia  river  as  we 
could  conveniently  accommodate.  On  the  2yth 
we  saw  Owhyhee  (Hawaii),  after  a  quick  and 
pleasant  passage;  we  stood  along  shore  as  usual; 
the  natives  came  off  in  great  numbers,  bringing 
pigs,  tarrow,  yams,  goats,  plantains,  rope,  and 
fruit  of  every  description.  Next  day  we  anchored 
off  Tyroa  (Kailua),  close  to  the  king's  morai 
(temple).  King  Tameameah  (Kamehameha)  and 
his  family  came  on  board  as  usual,  and  were 
rejoiced  to  see  us.  He  assured  us  we  should 
have  every  thing  we  wished  for  that  the  islands 
afforded  or  he  could  command;  and  commenced 
sending  hogs  on  board. 


70  LAHAINA    A    BEAUTIFUL    VILLAGE. 

On  the  i  st  of  February  we  sailed  from  Owhyhee 
(Hawaii),  his  majesty  sending  a  trusty  man  with 
us  named  Kenopoo,  to  see  that  we  got  what  we 
wanted.  We  had  directions  to  touch  at  Mowee 
(Maui),  where  we  should  have  plenty  of  hogs,  salt 
and  rope.  When  weighing  our  anchor  we  found 
it  was  fast  under  a  rock,  where  it  inevitably  must 
have  remained,  had  not  the  king  sent  his  divers 
down  to  clear  it.  The  depth  of  water  was  eight 
fathoms.  We  now  made  sail  towards  Mowee, 
our  ship,  as  usual,  full  of  natives.  Next  morn- 
ing we  passed  Morokenee  (Molokini),  and  made 
sail  up  Mackerey  (Maalaea)  bay;  here  we  lay 
until  the  6th,  and  took  on  board  a  great  quantity 
of  hogs,  salt,  and  vegetables.  This  bay  is  very 
deep  and  wide,  and  nearly  divides  the  island, 
there  being  but  a  narrow  neck  of  land  and  very 
low,  keeping  the  two  parts  of  the  island  together. 
There  is  good  anchorage;  and  the  only  danger 
arises  from  the  trade  winds,  which  blow  so  strong 
at  times  as  to  drive  ships  out  of  the  bay  with  two 
anchors  down;  it  lies  N.  E.  and  S.  W.  and  is  well 
sheltered  from  every  other  wind.  The  neck  of 
land  is  so  low,  and  the  land  so  high  on  each  side, 
that  the  N.  E.  trade  comes  through  like  a  hurri- 
cane. On  this  neck  of  land  are  their  principal 
salt-pans,  where  they  make  most  excellent  salt. 
Our  next  station  was  in  Lehina  (Lahaina)  roads. 
This  beautiful  village  has  the  appearance  of  a 
fine  garden,  laid  out  with  the  greatest  taste  in 
fish-ponds,  tarrow  (kalo)  patches,  cane  patches, 
groves  of  bread  fruit  and  plantain  trees,  so 
delightfully  arranged  that  nothing  can  surpass  it. 


ARRIVAL     AT     HONOLULU.  71 

On  the  9th,  the  brig1,  full  of  hogs  and  natives,  got 
under  weigh  from  this  romantic  spot,  bound  for 
Woahoo  (Oahu) ;  we  were  becalmed  for  three 
days  between  the  islands  of  Mowee  (Maui) ,  Moro- 
toi  (Molokai),  Tahoorooa  (Kahoolawe),  and  Raini 
(Lanai).  On  the  i3th  of  February  we  were  off 
the  harbour  of  Honorora  (Honolulu),  and  John 
Harbottle,  the  king's  pilot,  came  on  board;  but  it 
was  not  till  the  2oth  that  the  trade  wind  suffered 
us  to  get  in  shore.  We  found  a  brig  and  a  ship 
here  belonging  to  the  king,  the  former  was  called 
the  Forester,  now  Taamano  (Kaahumanu),  after 
the  king's  favorite  wife,  and  had  been  sold  to  him 
by  Captain  Piggot;  the  ship  was  an  American, 
called  the  Albatross,  sold  by  Captain  Winship. 
The  Taamano  (Kaahumanu)  was  fitting  out  for 
Canton,  and  taking  sandal  wood  on  board  for  the 
China  market;  she  was  commanded  by  Mr. 
Adams,  the  man  who  had  navigated  the  Forester 
under  Captain  Piggot,  and  the  crew  consisted  of 
about  ten  natives  and  ten  white  men.  She  sailed 
for  Canton  on  the  22nd  of  February,  1817. 

To  our  great  surprise  we  found  a  very  fine 
battery,  built  on  the  point,  mounting  about  60 
guns,  and  learned  that,  during  our  absence,  the 
Russians  had  sent  two  ships  from  New  Archangel, 
or  Norfolk  Sound,  to  these  islands,  with  Russians 
and  Kodiacks,  to  form  an  establishment.  They 
called  at  Owhyhee  (Hawaii),  and  thence  came 
down  to  Woahoo,  where  they  were  well  treated 
by  the  natives,  and  allowed  to  land  what  they 
pleased;  as  soon  as  they  got  footing  on  shore, 
they  commenced  building  block  houses,  and 


72         RUSSIANS  EXPELLED:   FORT  BUILT. 

squaring  out  a  place  for  a  fort,  under  the  direction 
of  Mr.  Shefham.  They  even  hoisted  the  Russian 
colours.  Mr.  John  Young,  the  white  man  before 
mentioned  in  this  narrative,  who  had  resided  on 
these  islands  about  36  years,  communicated  this 
intelligence  to  the  king  and  chiefs,  all  of  whom 
were  on  Owhyhee.  The  chiefs  were  immediately 
sent  down  to  Woahoo  with  orders  from  Tamea- 
meah  (Kamehameha)  that  the  Russians  should  quit 
the  islands  instantly,  and  if  they  did  not  depart 
quietly  that  force  must  be  used.  The  Russians 
not  finding  themselves  strong  enough  to  resist  went 
peaceably  off.  The  Islanders  then  built  the  fort 
under  the  direction  of  John  Young.  A  party  was 
kept  constantly  on  shore  curing  the  pork,  which 
was  done  in  the  following  manner :  — We  killed  the 
pigs  late  in  the  evening,  bled  them  well,  and  hung 
them  up  in  the  tent;  next  morning,  before  sun- 
rise, we  cut  them  up  in  four-pound  pieces,  and 
took  out  the  back-bone ;  the  pieces  were  then  well 
rubbed  with  salt,  and  packed  in  a  puncheon,  with 
holes  in  the  lower  head  for  the  pickle  to  drain  off; 
they  remained  in  this  manner  till  the  next  day, 
under  a  good  press;  they  were  then  taken  out, 
resalted,  and  packed  in  another  cask,  \vhere  they 
remained  for  a  week;  at  the  end  of  which  they 
were  finally  packed  and  pickled,  putting  a  small 
quantity  of  salt-petre  in  each  cask  ;  in  this  manner 
we  even  salted  the  heads ;  we  cured  about  one  hun- 
dred barrels  and  never  lost  a  piece.  While  we  lay 
here  we  gave  half  the  people  leave  to  go  on  shore 
each  night;  our  carpenter  had  frequent  occasion 
to  go  into  the  woods  to  cut  timber,  which  he  did 


DEPART  FOR  NORFOLK  SOUND.        73 

in  safety,  and  we  were  extremely  well  treated  by 
the  natives.  On  the  i4th  of  April,  being  complete 
in  provisions,  repairs,  etc.,  we  took  on  board  60 
natives  (being-  all  we  could  conveniently  accom- 
modate), for  the  Columbia  River,  and  stood  out 
of  the  harbour,  after  saluting  the  fort,  which  was 
returned.  Made  sail  toward  Atooi;  on  the  i6th 
we  got  off  the  village  of  Whymea  (Waimea),  and 
were  surprised  at  not  seeing  any  of  the  natives 
push  off.  Doctor  Shefham,  the  Russian,  came  on 
board  in  a  bodarkee ;  he  would  not  allow  us  to  have 
any  communication  with  the  shore,  and  through 
policy  we  did  not  press  the  point,  but  made  all 
sail  to  the  northward  towards  Norfolk  Sound. 
Next  day  we  passed  Mokoo  Manoo,  (Moku  Manu) 
or  Bird  Island.  There  are  no  inhabitants  here, 
although  the  land  seems  good,  and  covered  with 
cocoanut  and  plantain  trees.  The  latitude  is  23° 
8'  North,  Longitude  161°  45  West.  Arrived  at 
Norfolk  Sound  on  the  roth  of  May,  and  found 
the  American  brig  Brutus,  Captain  Meeks,  char- 
tered by  the  Governor  Baranoff  to  go  to  Kams- 
chatka  with  a  cargo  of  furs,  and  bring  Russians 
from  thence  to  Norfolk  Sound.  Finding  our 
boarding  defences  of  no  use  we  sold  them  to  the 
governor,  who  had  them  fixed  round  his  house. 
While  here  we  were  well  supplied  with  fish,  and 
often  visited  by  the  natives,  who  brought  off 
plenty  of  sea  otter  skins  in  the  night;  they  are 
much  the  same  as  the  Indians  on  the  Columbia, 
the  only  difference  is  in  the  appearance  of  the 
women,  who  perforate  their  lower  lip  with  a 
copper  wire,  enlarging  the  hole  daily  by  putting 


74  SOME    CUSTOMS    DESCRIBED. 

in  a  small  plug1  of  wood,  which  is  exchanged  each 
day  for  a  larger,  till  they  get  a  piece  of  wood  in  of 
an  oval  shape,  about  two  inches  long,  an  inch 
broad,  and  half  an  inch  thick;  this  drags  the 
lip  down,  and  leaves  the  gums  and  teeth  quite  bare, 
and  gives  them  a  most  disgusting  appearance. 
Both  men  and  women  chew  tobacco,  of  which  the 
women  in  particular  are  very  fond.  Some  of  the 
natives  in  Chatham  Straits  squeeze  their  heads 
into  a  sugar-loaf  shape,  by  means  of  binding  it 
round  with  kelp  or  sea  weed  when  they  are 
young.  They  also  use  paint,  and  powder  their 
hair  with  the  down  of  geese  or  swans.  They 
wear  the  hair  long,  but,  on  the  death  of  a  chief, 
cut  it  short  round  the  head.  They  have  their 
noses  perforated  with  a  large  quill.  The  natives 
here  are  great  warriors,  and  very  hostile  to  the 
Russians,  whom  they  often  annoy  by  attacking 
their  bodarkees;  however,  they  do  not  always 
kill  them,  but  are  satisfied  with  running  a  spear 
through  them  and  leaving  them  to  their  fate. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Cape  Edgecombe  ;  Navigation.  —  The  precautions  of 
the  Russians  to  prevent  Trade.  —  Return  to  the 
Columbia.  —  Trading  Expedition  along  shore  to 
Southward.  —  Natives  near  Cape  Orford.  —  The 
Coast  to  the  South.  —  Port  Trinidad;  the  Natives 
there;  Misunderstanding;  Traffic;  Decorum  of  the 
Females  ;  their  Dress  ;  extraordinary  Tattooing  of 
the  Tongue,  etc.,  Massacre  of  a  Spanish  Crew; 
Character  of  the  People;  Difficulties  in  getting 
out  the  Vessel.  —  Arrive  at  Bodago  Bay.  —  The 
Russians  and  Natives.  —  Account  of  the  Russian 
Settlement  on  New  Albion.  —  Prodigious  Vegeta- 
tion. 


EDGECOMBE  is  in  latitude  57°  2' 
North,  and  longitude  135°  34'  West,  and  is 
a  remarkably  high  bluff  cape,  with  a  moun- 
tain just  above  it,  called  Mount  Edgecombe, 
from  which  it  takes  its  name.  It  has  been  a  burn- 
ing mountain,  and  is  quite  flat  on  the  top,  which  is 
constantly  covered  with  snow.  Ships  bound  to  this 
sound,  from  the  southward,  and  coming  in  by 
point  Woodhouse,  which  is  the  south  point  of  the 
sound,  must  not  approach  nearer  the  point  than 
three  miles,  as  there  is  a  sunken  rock  on  which 


76  RUSSIAN    TRADE    PRECAUTIONS. 

the  sea  sometimes  breaks,  and  is  very  dangerous , 
the  course  from  here  to  the  light-house  is  north, 
which  will  take  you  clear  of  all  dangers.  The 
Russians  never  keep  a  light  in  the  light-house, 
unless  they  see  a  ship  in  the  offing  before  dark. 
The  sound  is  full  of  islands,  and  on  the  south 
side  there  are  some  hot  springs.  The  gun-boats 
are  continually  going  round  it  to  protect  the 
hunters  and  fishermen;  to  carry  in  any  canoes 
they  may  find  with  furs,  and  make  prisoners  of 
the  men  till  they  are  ransomed  by  their  friends. 
Whenever  we  arrived  or  sailed,  we  had  several 
of  the  Russian  boats  about  us  to  prevent  the 
Indians  from  coming  off  to  trade ;  but  sometimes 
in  the  night  they  contrived  to  elude  their  vigilance, 
and  get  on  board  to  traffic  with  us.  We  had 
variable  winds  and  bad  weather  all  the  passage 
to  the  river,  where  we  at  length  arrived,  June  12, 
1817,  and  came-to  under  the  fort  in  our  old  berth, 
sent  the  islanders  on  shore,  and  commenced 
landing  our  cargo.  July  12,  after,  as  usual,  com- 
pleting our  wood  and  water,  we  took  some  goods 
on  board  for  the  southward,  and  sailed  to  see 
what  we  could  do  in  the  way  of  trade  with  the 
Indians  on  New  Albion.  The  American  brig 
Alexander  arrived  here  from  America  with  stores 
for  the  settlement.  She  took  on  board  the  furs 
for  Canton,  and  ran  out  of  the  river  in  company 
with  us.  We  parted  outside;  they  stood  to  the 
northward  and  we  to  the  southward  along  shore; 
the  weather  being  foggy,  we  sounded  occasion- 
ally in  from  30  to  13  fathoms  water,  over  a  bed 
of  rocks,  off  Cape  Foulweather,  in  latitude  44° 


TRADING    AT.ONG    THE    COAST.  77 

49 '  North,  longitude  123°  56'  West.  On  the  i4th 
it  cleared  up,  and  we  saw  Cape  Orford,  bearing 
S.  E.  seven  leagues;  the  nearest  land  two  miles, 
latitude  43°  North;  observed  many  smokes  on 
shore.  About  noon,  several  canoes  came  off 
within  hail  of  the  ship ;  we  waved  to  them  to  come 
closer,  which  they  did,  displaying  green  boughs 
and  bunches  of  white  feathers;  they  stopped 
paddling,  and  one  man,  whom  we  took  to  be  a 
chief,  stood  up,  and  made  a  long  speech,  which 
we  did  not  understand.  We  then  waved  a  white 
flag,  and  they  immediately  pulled  for  the  ship, 
singing  all  the  way.  When  they  came  alongside 
we  gave  them  a  rope,  and  made  signs  for  them  to 
come  on  board,  which  nothing  could  induce  them 
to  do;  they  seemed  quite  terrified,  and  after 
handing  some  land-furs  on  board,  for  which  we 
gave  them  beads  and  knives,  they  seemed  well 
pleased,  and  made  signs  that  if  we  came  nearer 
the  shore,  they  would  bring  us  plenty.  They 
also  brought  some  berries,  fish,  and  handsome 
baskets  for  sale.  These  men  were  tall  and  well 
formed,  their  garments  made  of  dressed  deer- 
skins, with  a  small  round  hat,  in  shape  of  a  basin, 
that  fitted  close  round  the  head;  none  of  the 
women  made  their  appearance.  Their  canoes 
do  not  seem  to  be  so  well  constructed  as  the 
canoes  in  the  Columbia,  which  cannot  be  occa- 
sioned by  want  of  material,  as  the  country  appears 
to  be  well  wooded.  We  observed  a  bay  which 
looked  well  sheltered  from  the  N.  W.  winds. 
About  four  o'clock  the  natives  left  the  ship  sing- 
ing, and,  when  they  got  to  a  certain  distance, 
made  another  long  speech. 


78  ARRIVE    AT    PORT    TRINIDAD. 

We  now  stood  along  shore  toward  Cape  Orford, 
sounding1  occasionally  in  from  30  to  70  fathoms; 
sandy  bottom  from  four  to  six  miles  from  shore ; 
the  wind  increasing  from  N.  W.  stood  off  from 
the  land  under  easy  sail  for  the  night.  Next 
morning  we  ran  in,  and  lay-to  off  an  Indian 
village,  to  the  southward  of  Cape  Orford;  saw 
many  natives  on  the  shore,  but  it  blew  too  hard 
for  them  to  launch  their  canoes;  we  intended  to 
have  anchored  here,  there  being,  apparently,  a 
snug,  well-sheltered  bay,  from  all  but  the  S.  W., 
but  it  was  too  rough  to  send  the  boat  from  the 
ship  to  sound  it;  we  therefore  filled  and  ran  along 
shore,  at  the  distance  of  three  miles.  The  land 
had  a  very  fine  appearance,  the  hills  well  wooded, 
and  the  plains  covered  with  Indian  huts.  To- 
wards night,  the  gale  increased  so  much,  that  we 
were  obliged  to  haul  off  under  a  close  reefed  main 
top-sail  and  fore-sail,  and,  before  morning,  had 
to  lay-to  under  bare  poles.  On  the  igth  of  July, 
the  gale  broke;  we  again  stood  in  for  the  land, 
and  were  becalmed  for  three  days,  within  six 
miles  of  the  shore,  where  we  saw  many  smokes. 
We  were  driven  fast  to  the  southward  by  the 
current;  on  the  24th  a  breeze  sprang  up,  and  we 
made  sail  for  Port  Trinidad,  in  latitude  41°  3', 
longitude  123°  54' west;  hauled  into  a  small  sandy 
bay,  where  we  moored,  sheltered  from  all  winds, 
a  few  ships'  lengths  from  the  shore,  in  nine  fath- 
oms sandy  bottom.  This  bay  is  full  of  high  rocks, 
which  are  always  covered  with  birds,  and  round  it 
are  scattered  many  Indian  villages.  We  had 
scarcely  time  to  moor  before  we  were  surrounded 


WEAPONS    AND    DRESS    OF    INDIANS.  79 

with  canoes;  we  triced  our  boarding  nets  up,  and 
shut  all  our  ports  but  one,  at  which  the  natives  en- 
tered, keeping-  all  the  canoes  on  the  starboard  side ; 
and,  as  the  Indians  came  on  board,  we  took  their 
bows  and  daggers  from  them,  at  which  they  seem- 
ed much  displeased.  One  man  (a  chief)  would 
not  give  up  his  dagger,  and  we  pushed  him  back 
into  his  canoe ;  upon  which  he  immediately  strung 
his  bow,  and  pointed  an  arrow  at  me,  as  being  the 
most  active  in  sending  him  out  of  the  ship.  In 
an  instant  he  had  several  muskets  pointed  at  him, 
upon  seeing  which,  he  lost  no  time  in  laying  his 
bow  down.  Shortly  after  he  came  on  board, 
and  seemed  sorry  for  what  he  had  done,  and 
made  me  a  present  of  a  fine  bow.  Everything 
being  thus  settled,  we  gave  them  some  bread  and 
molasses,  of  which  they  eat  heartily.  We  then 
commenced  trading,  and  got  a  few  land  furs, 
which  they  brought  off,  for  pieces  of  iron-hoop, 
cut  into  6-inch  lengths.  They  also  brought  us 
plenty  of  red  deer  and  berries.  In  the  afternoon, 
some  women  made  their  appearance :  the  people 
offered  them  blankets  and  axes,  but  nothing  could 
tempt  them  to  come  on  board.  This  is  the  only 
place  on  the  coast  where  we  could  not  induce 
the  females  to  visit  the  ship.  It  appears  that  these 
natives  have  not  had  much  communication  with 
Europeans,  as  they  do  not  know  the  use  of  fire- 
arms ;  nor  have  they  any  iron  among  them.  Their 
daggers  are  made  of  a  sort  of  flint-stone,  and  they 
are  clothed  in  dressed  leather  apparel,  prettily 
ornamented  with  shells.  The  women  wear  a 
very  finely  dressed  leather  petticoat,  which 


80  SPANISH    CREW    MASSACRED. 

reaches  half  way  down  the  leg,  and  a  square  gar- 
ment of  the  same  thrown  loosely  over  the  shoul- 
ders. Their  tongues  and  chins  are  tattooed;  the 
former  is  quite  black,  the  latter  in  stripes.  Whe- 
ther this  is  considered  a  mark  of  beauty  or  not  I 
cannot  tell,  but  the  women  here  are  in  general 
very  handsome  and  well  made.  We  saw  a  cross 
on  shore,  fixed  there  by  the  Spaniards  many 
years  ago,  when  there  was  a  Spanish  launch 
driven  on  shore,  and  the  Indians  massacred  the 
whole  crew.  The  different  tribes  in  this  bay  are 
always  at  war  with  each  other ;  they  never  met  on 
board,  and  if  the  tribe  which  was  on  board  trad- 
ing, saw  another  tribe  approaching,  they  imme- 
diately went  on  shore  to  protect  their  wives  and 
property.  They  all  seem  to  be  brave,  warlike 
people.  Their  canoes  are  loy  far  the  safest  I  ever 
saw  on  the  coast,  being  from  16  to  20  feet  long, 
and  from  6  to  8  feet  broad,  square  at  both  ends 
and  flat  bottomed.  They  have  ridges  inside  about 
a  foot  apart,  which  look  exactly  like  the  timbers 
of  a  boat,  and  serve  to  strengthen  them  very 
much.  The  only  words  of  this  tongue  we  could 
pick  up  was,  /  ai  g~uai,  which  is  a  term  of  friend- 
ship, and  chilcse,  which  means  barter.  When 
they  speak  they  put  the  tongue  to  the  roof  of  the 
mouth,  and  utter  sounds  as  if  their  mouth  were 
full.  After  having  bought  all  the  furs  here,  on 
the  24th  of  July  we  weighed  anchor,  and,  after 
encountering  considerable  difficulties,  owing  to 
the  bad  weather,  succeeded  in  getting  out.  This 
was  fortunate,  as,  had  we  gone  on  shore,  (there 
not  being  the  least  shelter  in  this  part  of  the  bay), 


VISIT    BODAGO    BAY    FOR    REPAIRS.  8 1 

the  Indians  were  ready  to  receive  and  massacre 
us,  for  they  are,  without  exception,  the  most  sav- 
age tribes  on  all  the  coast. 

Having-  stood  out  to  sea,  we  deepened  our 
water  to  45  fathoms,  when  the  wind  again  died 
away,  the  sea  setting  us  fast  on  to  the  shore;  we 
had  but  one  bower  anchor  and  stream  left,  and, 
to  crown  all,  it  came  on  a  thick  fog.  We  spent 
a  most  anxious  night,  sounding  from  40  to  20 
fathoms.  We  could  hear  the  sea  break  on  the 
beach  very  distinctly;  the  order  was  given  to 
stand  by  our  best  bower  anchor,  when  it  pleased 
God  to  send  a  fine  breeze  from  the  N.  W.  and 
deliver  us  from  our  dangerous  situation.  We 
immediately  made  all  sail  from  the  coast.  Next 
day,  July  26,  we  saw  Cape  Mendocino,  (latitude 
40°  19'  north,  longitude  124°  7'  west),  north  about 
four  leagues,  found  our  bowsprit  sprung,  and 
determined  to  run  to  Bodago-bay  and  fish  it; 
stood  along  shore  accordingly,  and  on  the  28th 
got  off  the  settlement,  fired  a  gun,  and  several 
bodarkees  came  off,  bringing  with  them  some 
fresh  pork  and  vegetables.  We  here  moored 
and  fished  our  bowsprit.  Captain  Jennings  then 
went  to  the  settlement  in  the  whale  boat  to  try 
and  dispose  of  his  cargo  to  the  Russians,  but 
returned  to  the  ship  in  two  days  without  having 
effected  his  purpose.  While  we  lay  here  the 
Russians  sent  us  some  fresh  provision  and  vege- 
tables; the  natives  also  visited  us  in  their  canoes, 
which  are  nothing  more  than  several  large  bun- 
dles of  rushes  lashed  together.  They  seem  to  be 
the  poorest  tribe  in  these  parts,  although  the 


82  SETTLEMENT    ON    NEW    ALBION. 

country  is  by  far  the  finest ;  the  climate  is  so  pure 
and  the  grounds  so  good,  that  the  Russians  grow 
two  crops  per  year. 

The  Russian  establishment  on  the  coast  of 
New  Albion  is  in  latitude  38°  30'  and  longitude 
— °  — ',  about  four  leagues  to  the  northward  of 
this  fine  bay  and  harbour,  called  Bodago,  where 
they  have  a  large  store.  Here  their  ships  gene- 
rally call  and  sometimes  winter,  there  being  no 
shelter  for  ships  off  the  establishment.  The 
reason  for  their  having  it  so  far  from  the  harbour 
is  the  scarcity  of  timber,  which  is  very  necessary 
in  the  forming  of  a  settlement,  and  where  they 
now  are,  the  country  is  covered  with  fine  oak, 
ash,  and  pine  timber,  fit  for  ship  building.  They 
had  on  the  stocks,  and  nearly  fit  for  launching,  a 
fine  brig  of  150  tons,  built  of  good  oak.  They 
get  excellent  hemp  on  the  coast  of  California, 
and  make  good  rope.  This  settlement  consists 
of  about  100  houses  and  huts,  with  a  small  fort 
on  the  point,  and  about  500  inhabitants,  Russians 
and  Kodiacks.  The  land  is  in  the  highest  state 
of  cultivation,  growing  excellent  wheat,  potatoes, 
hemp  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables ;  and  the  soil  so 
rich  as  to  produce  (as  already  mentioned)  two 
crops  in  the  year.  I  have  seen  radishes  that 
weighed  from  one  pound  to  28  pounds,  and  much 
thicker  than  a  stout  man's  thigh,  and  quite  good 
all  through,  without  being  the  least  spongy. 
They  have  a  large  stock  of  cattle,  sheep,  and 
pigs;  and  seem  to  be  in  the  most  flourishing  con- 
dition under  the  direction  of  Governor  Kutzkoff . 
Hence  hunters  are  sent  down  the  coast  of  Cali- 


NORFOLK    SOUND    A    FUR    DEPOT.  83 

fornia  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the  sea  otter, 
which  are  very  plentiful  along  the  coast.  The 
colony  also  sends  a  vessel  to  Norfolk  Sound  once 
a  year,  with  the  furs  collected,  and  with  wheat 
and  hemp.  Norfolk  Sound  is  the  principal  depot; 
from  thence  the  furs  are  sent  to  Kamschatka. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Coasting  Trade  to  Sir  F.  Drake's  Harbour. — Return 
to  Trinidad  Bay. — Attacked  by  the  Indians. — 
Return  to  Columbia. — Mission  up  the  Country  to 
the  Cladsap  Tribe;  its  Success. — Description  of 
the  Country. — The  Northwest  Company's  Estab- 
lishment. 

ON  the  1 8th  of  August,  1817,  we  completed 
our  work  here,  (Bodago),  weighed  the 
anchor,  and  stood  away  for  the  Farelone 
rocks  of  islands,  in  the  latitude  of  37°  40'  North, 
and  longitude- 1 22°  20'  West.  Next  day  we  ran 
close  to  the  rocks,  and  I  went  on  shore  to  look 
for  fur-seals.  On  landing  we  found  plenty  of 
hair  seals,  but  very  few  fur;  we  knocked  down 
a  few  of  them,  and  brought  them  on  board,  with 
a  number  of  young  gulls,  which  were  fat  and 
good.  We  then  made  sail  towards  a  larger  group 
of  islands,  where  also  we  landed,  and  were  sur- 
prised to  find  about  thirty  Russians  and  Kodiacks 
with  their  wives.  They  had  a  flag-staff  erected, 
but  showed  no  colours.  Their  houses  were  built 
of  stone,  and  they  seemed  very  comfortable: 
they  remain  here  for  the  purpose  of  collecting 
fur-seals  and  drying  the  flesh  of  the  sea-lion, 


TOUCH    AT    SIR    F.    DRAKE'S    HARBOR.  75  £ 

which  is  quite  as  good  as  Spanish  jerked  beef. 
In  fine  weather,  a  skin-boat  comes  from  Bodago 
with  a  supply  of  fresh  water,  there  not  being  a 
drop  on  the  islands,  and,  in  return,  takes  what 
meat  and  skins  have  been  collected.  The  people 
have  no  means  of  leaving  the  island,  having  no 
boat,  nor  materials  to  build  one.  Finding  we 
could  do  nothing  here,  we  took  on  board  a  good 
stock  of  seals  and  gull's  eggs,  also  plenty  of 
young  gulls,  We  then  stood  for  the  harbour  of 
Sir  Francis  Drake,  and  next  day  anchored  in 
the  bay  in  5^  fathoms,  hoisted  the  boats  out,  and 
I  went  with  a  party  on  shore  to  look  for  natives. 
I  returned  on  board  in  the  evening,  having  seen 
but  few,  and  those  very  poor.  This  part  of  the 
country  is  delightfully  pleasant,  with  many  small 
rivers  running  through  the  valleys.  While  on 
shore,  we  killed  a  number  of  large  snakes  and 
adders,  and  saw  many  deer  and  foxes,  but  they 
were  very  shy.  We  also  observed  the  tracks  of 
bears.  This  bay  is  very  well  sheltered  from  all 
winds.  August  roth,  1817,  we  ran  along  shore 
to  the  northward;  passed  many  Indian  villages, 
but  no  natives  came  off,  I  believe  for  want  of 
canoes,  there  being  no  wood  on  this  part  of  the 
coast.  On  the  20th  of  August,  we  again  stood  into 
the  bay  of  Trinidad,  to  endeavour  to  receive  our 
anchor,  and  next  morning  I  went  with  the  whale 
boat  and  long-boat  with  purchases  to  raise  it, 
leaving  the  captain  with  only  six  men  on  board  to 
take  care  of  the  ship.  We  started  before  day- 
light, that  the  natives  should  not  take  notice  of 
us;  it  came  on  so  thick  a  fog,  that  we  not  only 


76  A  A   SAVAGE    INDIAN   TRIBfi. 

did  not  succeed  in  finding  the  buoy,  but  had  much 
difficulty  in  regaining  the  vessel.  About  six 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  however,  we  got  on  board, 
and  learnt  that  the  Indians  had  been  very  trouble- 
some during  our  absence.  In  consequence  of 
their  seeing  but  few  men,  they  had  made  several 
attempts  to  board  the  ship,  but  were  as  often  beat 
out  of  the  nets.  It  was  of  no  use  to  point  the 
muskets  at  them,  for  they  were  ignorant  of  their 
effect,  until  some  of  the  men  shot  several  gulls 
that  were  flying  about  the  ship.  Upon  this,  they 
began  to  be  less  daring,  and,  as  we  fired  a  few 
muskets  on  approaching,  they  made  for  the  shore, 
as  quick  as  possible.  We  now  gave  up  all  hopes 
of  recovering  our  anchor,  and  at  daylight 
weighed,  and  made  sail,  thinking  it  dangerous  to 
remain  any  longer  among  this  savage  tribe.  We 
stood  along  shore  to  the  N.  E.,  saw  many  small 
villages,  but  the  sea  was  so  rough  that  none  of 
the  natives  came  off.  Next  day  we  stood  close 
under  Point  St.  George  to  find  anchorage,  seeing 
a  very  large  village  and  many  natives  on  the  shore. 
We  sounded  round  the  bay  in  from  12  to  20  fath- 
oms, over  afoul  bottom,  one  and  two  miles  from 
shore.  Many  canoes  came  off,  and  the  natives  ap- 
peared quite  friendly.  We  bought  several  good 
sea  otter  skins  at  an  axe  for  each  skin ;  many  bows, 
arrows,  daggers,  etc.,  for  small  beads.  The 
canoes  here  are  similar  to  those  at  Port  Trinidad. 
As  the  anchorage  was  not  good,  and  we  had  bought 
all  the  furs  brought  off,  we  stood  out  to  sea;  the 
natives  kept  on  board  as  long  as  they  could. 
We  then  beat  up  along  shore  to  the  northward, 


RETURN    TO    COLUMBIA    RIVER.  '"ft 

trading  with  the  Indians,  to  Point  Gregory,  in 
latitude  43°.  Here  we  continued  our  traffic,  and 
on  the  2nd  of  September  hauled  off  to  the  west- 
ward, to  look  for  a  seal  island,  said  to  have  been 
seen  by  an  American  vessel.  On  the  loth  of 
October,  after  a  fruitless  search,  we  arrived  off 
the  Columbia  river,  sent  the  furs  on  shore,  and 
set  the  carpenter  to  work  to  make  a  bowsprit; 
we  took  on  board  wood  and  water ;  also  six  long 
i2-pounders,  with  powder  and  shot,  for  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.  On  the  2oth  of  October,  I  was 
sent  with  a  party  of  thirty-three  from  the  fort  and 
ship  to  the  Cladsaps'  winter  quarters,  about  30 
miles  distant,  to  bring  back  John  Carpenter,  the 
blacksmith,  (one  of  the  men  we  landed  here  on 
our  first  arrival) ;  he  had  behaved  very  well  for 
some  time,  but  at  length  got  quite  unruly,  and 
deserted  to  the  Cladsap  tribe.  Several  messen- 
gers were  sent  at  different  times,  but  to  no  pur- 
pose, as  he  was  protected  by  the  tribe,  none  of 
whom  had  visited  the  fort  since  his  desertion. 
Mr.  Keith,  the  governor,  fearing  that  the  Indians 
would  make  an  attempt  to  storm  the  fort  at  some 
time,  headed  by  this  desperate  man,  determined 
to  have  him  banished  from  the  river;  and  I  was 
accordingly  dispatched  with  orders  to  bring  him 
dead  or  alive,  together  with  the  chief  of  the 
village  at  which  I  found  him.  We  left  the  ship 
at  about  6  o'clock  in  the  evening  in  the  cutter  and 
whale  boat,  and  pulled  up  Young's  River  to  the 
south  point,  where  we  landed,  and  secured  the 
boats  in  a  small  creek,  and  left  two  men  to  take 
care  of  them.  We  travelled  through  woods,  over 


78  A  MISSION   TO   THE    CLADSAPS. 

plains,  crossed  small  rivers  and  creeks,  passed 
many  Indian  habitations,  and  just  at  day-light 
arrived  at  the  winter  village  of  the  Cladsaps, 
before  the  Indians  were  awake.  We  sent  one  of 
our  guides  into  the  chief's  huts  to  see  if  Car- 
penter was  there,  who  returned  in  a  few  minutes, 
and  informed  us  that  he  was,  and  asleep;  I  then 
placed  the  men  round  the  house  to  prevent  his 
escape,  and  taking  the  second  mate  with  me,  we 
entered  the  hut,  found  him  in  bed,  and,  after  a 
violent  struggle,  secured  him,  by  lashing  his 
hands  behind  him.  By  this  time  the  Indians  were 
collecting  and  arming.  They  poured  in  from  all 
parts,  and  seemed  disposed  to  prevent  our  taking 
away  our  prisoner;  and  Carpenter's  female  com- 
panion was  very  active  in  instigating  them  to 
liberate  her  husband.  I  drew  my  party  up  in  a 
double  line,  and  then  stepped  out  and  told  the 
Indians,  that  I  did  not  come  to  trouble  them,  but 
merely  to  take  the  white  man  to  the  fort.  They 
answered,  that  he  came  to  them  for  protection, 
and  they  would  protect  him.  I  informed  them, 
if  they  attempted  to  stop  him,  what  they  might 
expect;  and  ordered  the  party  to  march,  which 
it  did  without  being  molested.  I  did  not  like  to 
provoke  a  quarrel  with  them  by  taking  their 
chief,  there  being  about  156  men  well  armed 
with  bows  and  muskets,  who  might  have  cut  us 
all  off,  before  we  could  reach  our  boats.  We 
therefore  took  Carpenter,  and  with  him  made  the 
best  of  our  way,  passing  over  a  most  beautiful 
country,  an  extensive  plain,  with  many  small 
rivulets.  This  spot  appeared  capable  of  the 


THE    BLACKSMITH    IMPRISONED.  '  79  A 

highest  cultivation,  and  was  covered  with  berrie 
of  different  sorts.      We  saw  many  horses  and 
deer,  and  also  the  mountain  sheep.     There  were 
many  small  villages  scattered  about  the  plain,  the 
natives  of  which  treated  us  very  kindly.     In  the 
evening  we  arrived  at  the   boats,    and   about  8 
o'clock  at  the  fort,  all  very  much  fatigued  with 
our  journey,  the  result  of  which  gave  great  satis- 
faction to   the  governor.      Carpenter  was   well 
secured  over  the  gate  of  the  fort;  his  hand-cuffs 
were  made  with  a  nut  to  screw  tight  on,  and  then 
clinched;    his  legs  were  fastened  in  the   same 
manner,  and  a  large  hoop  made  to  go  tight  round 
his  body,  with  a  chain  from  each  side  of  it,  which 
was  stretched  tight  out,  and  locked  to  the  post  of 
the  gate.     Here  he  was  kept  until  the  Columbia 
was  ready  for  sea.     November  the  i4th  we  left 
the  river  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  to  sell  the 
vessel;  and  if  we  did  not  succeed  at  the  Islands, 
we  had  orders  to  proceed  to  Norfolk  Sound,  and 
dispose  of  her  to  the  Russians.     The  Northwest 
Company's  Establishment  lies  about  seven  miles 
from  Point  Adam,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river, 
above    a   small  bay,   where    ships  are  in   great 
safety  out  of  the  strength  of  the  tide.     There  is 
a  very  good  wharf  with  a  crane  for  landing  or 
shipping  goods.     The  settlement  is  a  square  of 
about  200  yards,  surrounded  by  pickets  about  15 
feet  high,  and  protected  by  two  bastions,  one  on 
the  S.   W.  and  the  other  on  the  N.  E.  corner. 
Each  of  these  bastions  mounts  eight  guns,  four 
and  six  pounders ;   and  there  are  loop-holes  for 
musketry.     The   grand   entrance  is  through   a 


8oA  THE  N.  w.  COMPANY'S  ESTABLISHMENT. 

large  double  gate  on  the  north  side,  above  which 
there  is  a  platform  for  the  sentry  to  walk;  on 
this  are  several  swivels  mounted.  As  you  enter 
the  fort,  or  square,  there  is  a  two-story  house, 
with  two  long  i8-pounders  in  front  of  it  on  the 
south  side ;  on  the  east  is  a  range  of  low  build- 
ings, where  the  clerks  have  their  apartments; 
and  in  the  same  row  stands  the  grand  hall,  where 
the  gentlemen  assemble  to  dinner,  etc.  The 
houses  for  the  men  are  on  the  same  side,  and 
behind  the  two-story  or  governor's  house;  in  the 
S.  W.  corner,  is  the  magazine  well  secured; 
along  the  west  side  stands  a  range  of  stores, 
tailor's  shop,  and  Indian  trading  shop;  in  the  S. 
E.  corner  the  blacksmith's  and  cooper's  shops, 
and  on  the  N.  E.  corner  a  granary  for  the  corn. 
In  the  N.  W.  corner  stands  a  very  high  flag-staff, 
erected  by  the  crew  of  the  Columbia.  The  whole 
of  the  settlers  here  do  not  exceed  150  men,  most 
of  whom  keep  Indian  women,  who  live  inside  of 
the  fort  with  them.  Nearly  all  the  settlers  are 
Canadians.  The  clerks  and  partners  are  Scotch. 
They  are  constantly  employed  in  cutting  down 
the  wood,  and  improving  the  fort:  the  men  are 
not  allowed  the  ground  on  their  own  account, 
the  company  being  fearful  they  would  in  time 
become  independent,  and  leave  them.  The 
Company's  canoes  arrive  here  from  the  interior, 
in  the  spring  and  fall;  they  bring  the  furs  that 
are  collected  at  the  different  posts  on  the  west 
side  of  the  stoney  mountains,  and  take  back 
stores  for  the  posts.  The  canoes  are  manned 
with  Euroque  Indians  and  Canadians,  under  the 


THE    DRINK    HABIT    ENCOURAGED.  8lA 

direction  of  a  partner  and  several  young  clerks. 
When  they  arrive  in  the  fall,  the  boatmen  encamp 
outside  the  fort;  they  are  each  served  out  with 
a  half  pint  of  rum,  and  their  year's  clothing,  and 
orders  are  issued,  that  those  men  who  do  not  get 
drunk,  must  go  to  the  wood  and  cut  timber. 
The  liquor  shop  is  then  opened,  and  kept  by  one 
of  the  clerks;  a  scene  of  drunkenness  and  all 
manner  of  vice  follows.  A  frolick  of  this  kind 
will  cost  them  a  year's  pay  and  upwards;  they 
generally  agree  for  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  they  find  themselves  in  debt,  are  therefore 
obliged  to  agree  for  two  years  longer,  and  in  this 
manner  are  kept  in  the  service  till  they  are  gray- 
headed.  The  Company  have  a  train  of  posts 
from  the  Columbia  River  to  the  rocky  or  stoney 
mountains,  and  from  thence  to  Montreal;  all  the 
furs  that  are  collected  at  the  west  side  of  these 
mountains  are  brought  to  the  Columbia,  and  sent 
from  thence  to  China;  and  all  that  are  collected 
on  the  east  side  are  sent  to  Montreal,  and  from 
thence  to  England.  At  this  settlement  they  have 
cleared  about  200  acres  of  ground,  and  planted 
about  20  acres  with  potatoes  for  the  use  of  the 
gentlemen,  their  object  being  to  collect  furs,  and 
not  to  cultivate  or  improve  the  land.  They  have 
about  twelve  head  of  cattle  with  some  pigs  and 
goats,  imported  here  from  California;  their  stock 
does  not  increase,  for  want  of  proper  care,  the 
wolves  often  carrying  off  goats  and  pigs. 


CHAPTER    X. 

Voyage  to  the  Sandwich  Islands;  various  Transactions 
there:  Superstitions  Omen;  Death  of  a  Chief; 
Remarkable  Funeral  Ceremonies,  Taboo,  and  Cus- 
toms connected  with  these  Rites. — Whymea. — The 
Russian  Intrigues  with  the  Natives,  and  their 
consequences. — Different  trading  trips,  to  show  the 
'Nature  of  the  Island  Commerce. — The  ship  given 
up. — Situation  of  the  Men  on  shore. 

OUR  passage  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  was 
quick  and  pleasant.  On  the  6th  of  Decem- 
ber we  made  Owhyhee,  stood  along-  shore 
towards  Toyhoy  (Kawaihae)  bay,  and  ran  in. 
Finding  no  natives  came  off,  we  sent  the  whale 
boat  on  shore  to  know  what  was  the  reason.  The 
boat  soon  returned  with  an  account  that  the 
natives  were  celebrating  their  annual  festival, 
called  muckka-hitee  (makahiki).  This  festival 
lasts  a  month,  during  which  time  a  canoe  is  not 
allowed  to  go  on  salt  water.  We  also  heard,  that 
king  Tameahmeah  was  then  at  the  village  of 
Tyroa,  his  favourite  residence;  we  made  all  sail 
for  that  place,  where  we  arrived  on  the  loth,  and 


* 'BUSINESS  BEFORE  PLEASURE"  REVERSED.   83  A. 

came  too  with  our  only  bower  anchor  off  the 
Moral.  No  canoes  being-  allowed  to  come  off, 
Captain  Jennings  went  on  shore  to  see  the  king1; 
in  the  evening  the  boat  returned  with  some  hogs 
and  tarrow.  The  king  Tameahmeah  told  Captain 
Jennings  if  he  would  g-o  to  the  Island  of  Woahoo, 
and  remain  until  the  muckka-hitee  was  over,  he 
should  be  then  able  to  agree  with  him  about  the 
purchase  of  the  ship.  We  accordingly  left 
Tyroa;  when  we  g-ot  our  anchor  up,  we  found 
one  arm  broken  off.  We  made  all  sail  for  Woa- 
hoo, and  on  the  Hth  arrived  off  the  harbour. 
Captain  Jennings  went  on  shore,  and  sent  off  an 
anchor.  We  then  came  too  outside  the  reef,  in 
14  fathoms  over  a  sandy  bottom,  and  on  the  i8th 
we  got  into  the  harbour.  We  found  the  king's 
brig-  had  returned  from  Canton,  and  was  laid  up 
We  found  here  the  brig  Bordeaux  Packet,  which 
had  been  purchased  from  the  Americans  about  a 
month  before.  A  large  ship,  called  the  Myrtle, 
was  condemned  by  the  Russians,  and  hauled  on 
shore.  We  moored  close  to  the  shore  and  saluted 
the  fort,  which  was  returned  by  them.  In  the 
night  it  came  on  to  blow  very  hard  from  the  N.E. , 
and  continued  for  several  days. 

We  sent  John  Carpenter  on  shore,  and  dis- 
charged him  of  the  crew.  The  taboo  was  still  on, 
consequently  none  of  the  natives  came  on  board. 
On  the  24th  of  December,  the  muckkahitee  being- 
over,  the  king's  prime  minister,  named  Kreymo- 
koo  (Kalaimoku) ,  commonly  called  Pitt,  came  on 
board  with  all  the  chiefs,  accompanied  by  John 
Young,  to  inspect  the  vessel,  previous  to  their 


84  A  SALE    OF    THE    BRIG    EFFECTED. 

purchasing  of  her.  They  seemed  much  aston- 
ished at  our  large  battery  guns;  we  got  one  on 
deck,  and,  mounting  it,  fired  several  rounds  of 
shot,  at  which  the  chiefs  were  much  pleased, 
and  the  natives  crowded  from  all  parts  of  the 
island  to  see  the  poo'nu'ee  (pu  nui),  as  they  call 
a  great  gun.  They  were  all  very  particular  in 
measuring  its  length,  breadth,  and  size  of  the 
bore.  After  the  chiefs  had  carefully  inspected 
every  part  of  the  brig,  John  Young  was  asked 
his  opinion  of  her.  He  told  Mr.  Pitt  she  would 
answer  their  purpose  very  well.  Kreymokoo 
upon  this  agreed  to  give  twice  the  full  of  the 
vessel  of  sandal  wood  for  her,  to  be  delivered  in 
a  space  of  time  not  exceeding  six  months,  and 
that  we  should  hold  possession  of  the  vessel  till 
all  the  wood  was  delivered,  and  that  we  were  to 
be  found  in  provisions  while  we  remained  on  the 
island.  An  agreement  was  drawn  up  and  signed 
by  Captain  Jennings  and  Kreymokoo.  The 
next  day  being  Christmas  day,  we  invited  all  the 
chiefs  and  respectable  white  men  on  the  island  to 
dine  with  us  on  shore ;  we  spent  a  most  pleasant 
day,  and  the  chiefs  remained  with  us  to  a  late 
hour.  We  had  a  dinner  cooked  apart  for  the 
chiefs'  wives,  as  they  were  not  allowed  to  eat 
with  the  men.  Next  day  we  took  on  board  the 
king's  taxes,  and  January  nth,  1818,  we  sailed 
for  Owhyhee,  the  brig  loaded  with  provisions 
and  cloth  of  the  country,  this  being  the  time 
at  which  the  natives  pay  their  half-year's  taxes. 
We  had  also  a  number  of  chiefs  on  board, 
and  about  400  natives,  men,  women,  and  children. 


A    ROYAL    SALUTE    DISCONTINUED.  85 

There  was  scarcely  room  to  move  on  the  decks 
or  in  the  cabin;  even  the  chains,  tops  and  bow- 
sprit were  crowded  with  them.  We  touched  at 
Mo  wee,  where  they  all  landed  for  a  few  days, 
and  nothing  went  forward  but  feasting1  and 
rejoicing.  On  the  i6th,  the  chiefs  again  came  on 
board,  and  we  got  under  weigh  for  Owhyhee, 
the  ship,  as  before,  full  of  natives.  In  crossing 
the  channel,  between  Mowee  and  Owhyhee,  we 
were  near  upsetting  the  vessel,  being  top  heavy, 
from  the  number  of  them  on  deck  and  about  the 
rigging.  On  the  i8th,  we  anchored  off  Tyroa, 
andTameameah  came  onbord.  On  his  approach, 
all  the  natives  jumped  overboard,  and  left  us  clear 
decks.  We  commenced  firing  a  salute,  when  the 
king  called  out  to  us,  in  a  pleasant  tone,  to  stop, 
as  the  powder  was  now  his,  and  he  wanted  it  for 
other  purposes,  probably  for  the  Russians,  if  they 
should  come  to  trouble  him.  He  was  delighted 
with  the  large  guns;  and  the  natives  came  on 
board,  as  at  Woahoo,  to  see  the  poo'nu'ee.  Their 
fame  was  soon  spread  over  the  island,  but  the 
next  day  we  landed  them,  and  by  that  means  got 
rid  of  the  curious  natives ;  they  were  placed  in 
a  square  in  front  of  the  royal  residence,  where 
thousands  of  the  people  were  daily  collected  to 
look  at  them.  Tameameah  found  one  fault  with 
them ,  which  was,  that  they  took  too  much  powder, 
(a  charge  being  four  pounds),  but  he  took  all  our 
small  arms,  powder,  and  everything  he  thought 
would  be  useful  to  him,  and  made  the  brig  over 
to  his  son  and  heir  Rieo  Rieo  (Liholiho).  On  the 
26th  of  January,  we  sailed  from  Owhyhee  towards 


86  DEATH    OF    A    HIGH    CHIEF. 

Mowee,  with  our  usual  cargo  of  natives ;  next  day 
we  anchored  in  Lehina  Roads,  and  took  on  board 
the  king's  taxes,  and  made  sail  for  Woahoo.  In 
our  passage  down,  during  the  night,  a  star  shot 
very  vividly — the  natives  gave  a  sudden  scream, 
and  told  us  that  the  star  shooting  foretold  the  death 
of  an  Owhyhee  chief.  On  the  first  of  February 
we  arrived  at  Woahoo;  in  crossing  the  reef  the 
brig  took  the  ground,  but  was  soon  lightened  by 
the  natives  jumping  overboard  and  swimming  on 
shore.  About  a  week  after  our  arrival,  a  chief, 
named  Tereacoo  (Kaleioku)  died  suddenly;  he 
went  to  bed  well  over  night,  and  in  the  morning 
got  up,  and  according  to  custom,  smoked  a  pipe, 
after  which  he  lay  down  and  died.  All  the  natives 
were  immediately  tabooed,  or  prohibited  from 
going  on  the  water;  they  all  appeared  to  be  in 
great  grief,  crying  and  making  a  dreadful  noise. 
They  commenced  knocking  out  they  teeth,  cut- 
ting off  their  hair,  and  burning  their  flesh  with 
the  bark  of  a  tree;  both  men  and  women  going 
about  quite  naked,  to  demonstrate  their  grief. 

On  the  death  of  the  chief,  the  priests  assem- 
bled; they  fenced  the  house  in  for  about  fifty 
yards  square  with  wands,  having  white  flags  fly- 
ing on  them.  None  of  the  natives  dare  come  in- 
side this  fence,  though  several  thousands  of  them 
were  collected  round  it.  There  was  a  large  fire 
made  on  the  outside  of  the  house  and  inside  of 
the  fence  or  prohibited  space;  the  priests  then 
began  cutting  up  the  body.  They  brought  the 
heart  out,  and  set  it  in  the  fire,  praying  very  de- 
voutly while  it  was  burning ;  after  which  they 


CEREMONIES    AT    DEATH.  87 

collected  the  ashes,  put  them  into  a  calabash,  or 
gourd,  slung-  it  to  a  pole,  and  spread  a  beautiful 
feather  cloak  over  it.  Then  two  of  the  chiefs, 
Hikanees,  or  confidential  men,  took  the  pole  on 
their  shoulders,  and  ran  towards  the  water,  cry- 
ing- out  very  loud,  "Noho,  noho ! "  (which  means 
sit  or  lie  down;)  as  these  men  passed,  all  the  na- 
tives lay  down  and  stripped  themselves.  They 
walked  up  to  their  middle  in  water,  and  deposited 
the  ashes;  afterwards  the  liver  and  all  the  inside 
were  treated  in  the  same  manner.  At  sundown 
this  part  of  the  ceremony  ceased,  and  a  crier 
went  round  the  village,  calling  out,  that  if  any 
man,  woman,  or  child,  were  seen  out  of  their 
houses,  or  showed  a  light  or  fire,  or  even  smoked 
a  pipe,  after  8  o'clock  that  evening,  they  would 
instantly  be  put  to  death.  These  restrictions 
extended  not  only  to  the  white  people,  but  even 
to  the  ships  in  the  harbour;  nay,  hogs,  dogs, 
fowls,  etc.,  were  not  allowed  to  be  out,  least  they 
should  make  a  noise,  nor  were  the  ships  suffered 
to  strike  the  bells  next  morning. 

At  sunrise  the  Taboo  was  taken  off  the  ships, 
but  still  remained  in  force  on  shore.  This  day 
the  priests  were  employed  burning  the  flesh  off 
the  bones,  and  scraping  them  quite  clean;  the 
ashes  were  deposited  in  the  sea;  the  bones  were 
then  carefully  packed  up,  and  a  large  double 
canoe  dispatched  with  them  to  Owhyhee.  Six 
hours  after  the  canoe  sailed,  the  Taboo  was  taken 
off  the  bay,  and  canoes  were  allowed  to  go  on 
the  water; — in  this  manner  they  employ  ceremo- 
nies towards  all  the  people  of  rank.  The  common 


88  LOADING    SANDAL    WOOD. 

people  dig  up  the  bones  of  their  relatives  after 
the  flesh  is  rotted  from  them,  scrape  and  clean 
them  well,  wrap  them  up  in  cloth,  put  them  into 
calabashes,  or  gourds,  and  hang  them  up  in  their 
houses. 

We  lay  in  the  harbour  until  the  iyth  of  March, 
1818,  without  anything  particular  occuring,  until 
that  day,  when  we  received  orders  from  Tamea- 
meah  to  proceed  to  the  island  of  Atooai  (Kauai) 
for  a  cargo  of  sandal-wood.  Teymotoo,  or  Cox, 
with  several  other  chiefs,  came  on  board.  We 
made  sail,  and  on  the  following  day  came  too  in 
Whymea  Roads.  One  mile  from  the  village,  the 
English  ensign  was  displayed  on  a  very  fine  fort, 
mounting  about  thirty  guns;  the  natives  came  off 
in  great  numbers ;  they  informed  us  that  the  Rus- 
sians had  built  the  fort,  in  which  there  were  dun- 
geons, and  had  actually  gone  so  far  as  to  confine 
some  white  men  and  natives.  The  Russians 
advised  Tamoree  (Kaumualii),  king  of  Atooai,  to 
shake  off  Tameameah's  yoke,  and  declare  war 
against  him,  in  which  they  would  assist  him ;  they 
made  him  a  present  of  a  schooner,  and  he  gave 
them  in  return  a  large  tract  of  land.  Tama'hon- 
reeranee  (Kamahalolani),  the  head  chief  under 
Tamooree,  was  averse  to  these  proceedings. 
The  Russians  wished  to  send  Tamooree  to  Peters- 
burg, but  could  never  get  him  on  board.  At 
length  Tamooree  discovered  that  they  wished  to 
possess  themselves  of  the  island;  he  consulted 
with  his  chiefs,  returned  their  schooner,  (which 
they  refused,)  and  ordered  them  on  board  their 
ships,  three  of  which  were  lying  in  a  snug 


RUSSIANS    EXPELLED    FROM    KAUAI.  89 

harbour*  at  the  west  end  of  the  island.  They 
resisted,  and  a  scuffle  ensued,  in  which  three 
Russians  and  several  natives  were  killed,  but  the 
latter  at  last  forced  them  on  board,  and  Doctor 
Shefham  made  his  escape  to  Canton  in  an  Ameri- 
can vessel.  The  Russian  ships  went  to  Norfolk 
Sound.  The  fort  does  great  credit  to  the  engi- 
neer; it  is  situate  on  a  high  point  at  the  entrance 
of  the  river,  and  protects  the  whole  town.  The 
king,  chiefs,  and  about  150  warriors  live  within 
it,  and  keep  a  regular  guard ;  they  have  a  number 
of  white  men  for  the  purpose  of  working  the 
guns,  etc. 

Our  chiefs  landed,  and  were  well  received  by 
Tamooree;  and  the  next  morning  they  com- 
menced sending  wood  on  board.  About  500 
canoes  were  employed  in  bringing  it  off,  and  by 
the  25th  of  March  we  had  the  ship  quite  full. 
The  king  behaved  extremely  well,  and  sent  us 
off  plenty  of  hogs  and  vegetables.  Our  chiefs 
came  on  board,  as  did  also  some  Atooi  chiefs. 
We  weighed  and  made  sail  for  Woahoo,  where 
we  anchored  the  next  day,  landed  our  wood,  and 
lay  until  the  iQth,  when  we  took  on  board  a  cargo 
of  salt  for  the  west  end  of  Woahoo.  Next  day 
we  sailed  for  Whymea  bay,  on  the  west  end  of 
the  island,  to  get  another  cargo  of  wood.  In  our 
passage  we  touched  at  Wyeni  (Waianae),  and 
took  on  board  some  wood  and  hogs.  We  lay 
here  for  a  few  days,  and  then  sailed  along  shore 
for  Whymea,  where  we  arrived  on  the  22rd, 
threw  our  ballast  out,  and  took  on  board  a  full 

*  Refers  to  Hanalei. 


90  THE    COLUMBIA    DELIVERED    UP. 

cargo  of  wood  in  thirty-six  hours — more  than  200 
canoes  employed  in  bringing-  it  off,  day  and  night. 
We  weighed  and  made  sail  for  Honororoa,  where 
we  arrived  on  the  28th,  and  sent  the  wood  on 
shore.  On  the  ist  of  May,  1818,  we  had  all  our 
wood  on  shore  and  stored.  On  the  2nd  of  May, 
we  hauled  down  the  English  colours,  and  hoisted 
the  island  colours,  saluting  them  with  seven  guns ; 
we  then  gave  the  ship  up  to  Kreymokoo,  or  Pitt, 
and  went  on  shore  to  the  houses  prepared  for 
our  reception.  It  was  with  the  greatest  regret  I 
left  the  ship,  for  it  seemed  as  if  I  had  lost  my 
home;  and  in  fact  it  was  some  time  before  I  felt 
myself  at  all  comfortable.  I  had  sailed  on  board 
the  Columbia  from  August,  1813,  to  May,  1818, 
a  period  of  nearly  five  years ;  when  she  left  Eng- 
land, the  crew  consisted  of  twenty -five  persons, 
and  when  we  sold  the  vessel  at  these  islands,  the 
steward  and  a  black  man  (who  had  been  for 
several  years  with  me  in  the  West  Indian  trade) 
and  myself  were  all  that  remained,  and  even  these 
left  before  the  vessel  was  given  up.  Our  houses 
were  the  largest  and  most  pleasantly  situated  of 
any  in  the  village,  and  fronting  the  harbour :  (they 
were  built  by  four  different  villages,  each  taking 
a  house  to  build  and  furnish),  and  quite  finished 
in  three  days.  They  consisted  of  two  sleeping 
houses  and  two  eating  houses,  (the  one  for  women 
and  the  other  for  men) ;  the  sleeping-houses  and 
women's  eating-house  were  surrounded  by  a 
fence  fifty  yards  square;  the  men's  eating-house 
was  outside  of  this  fence,  but  fenced  in  in  like 
manner,  with  a  door  that  led  from  the  sleeping- 


HAWAIIAN    HOUSE    BUDDING.  9 1 

house  fence  to  it.     The  houses  are  built  in  the 
following- manner;   they  begin  by  driving  stakes 
in  the  ground  eight  feet  high  and  three  feet  apart, 
forked  at  the  upper  ends,  in  which  forks  are  laid 
handsome  straight  poles ;  the  ridge  pole  is  raised 
by  temporary  stakes,  the  rafters  are  forked  at  the 
lower  ends ,  which  rest  on  the  forks  of  the  upright ; 
the  upper  ends  of  the  rafters  cross  each  other  on 
the  ridge-pole,  and  are  well  lashed  to  it;  a  second 
ridge  pole  is  now  placed  in  the  cross  of  the  rafters 
above  the  first  one,   to  which  it  is  well  lashed; 
they  then  tie  on  neat  twigs  or  canes,  in  the  man- 
ner of  laths,  and  thatch  the  house  all  over  with 
dry  grass  or  leaves  of  the  tee-root.     There  was 
a  door  and  two  windows  in  the  end.    The  interiors 
were  beat  down  quite  hard,   and  a  quantity  of 
rushes  strewed  smooth,  and  well  covered  with  a 
large  coarse  mat,  made  the  size  of  the  house, 
above  which  others  were  laid  of  a  finer  quality. 
At  one  end  was  built  a  large  bed-place,  stuffed 
with  dry  grass,    and  covered  neatly  with  mats. 
Along  each  side  were  built  sofas,  stuffed  and 
covered  the  same  as  the  bed,  to  keep  which  out 
of  sight  there  was  a  light  partition.     In  front  of 
the  house  was  built  a  raini(lanai),  or  shed,  covered 
with  the  branches  of  cocoanut  trees,  and  here 
also  a  sofa  was  built.     The  square  in  front  of  the 
house   was   strewed   each   morning   with   green 
rushes.     We  had  a  man  from  Tameameah  who 
acted  as  steward,  and  whose  business  it  was  to 
find  us  in  everything  we  wanted.     We  had  also  a 
watchman  to  walk  round  the  houses  at  night,  to 
give  the  alarm  of  fire,  which  happens  frequently. 


CHAPTER    XL 

The  Sandwich  Islands. — A  Patriot  or  Runaway  Ship. 
— History  of  its  change  of  Masters,  Piracies  and 
Plundering. 

TT  BOUT  the  middle  of  May,  the  Columbia 
^7J^  took  a  cargo  to  Owhyhee.  Captain  Jen- 
nings went  in  her  to  give  her  up  to  the 
King,  leaving  me  to  take  care  of  the  wood  while 
he  was  Owhyhee.  Several  American  ships  called 
here  from  the  coast  of  Chili,  bound  to  Canton, 
in  which  most  of  our  crew  got  off;  at  this  time  a 
a  canoe  arrived  from  Owhyhee,  with  an  account 
of  a  large  fighting  ship  having  come  to  Owhyhee 
full  of  men,  but  of  what  country  they  could  not 
tell.  A  few  days  after  May  2oth,  1818,  one  of 
the  King's  vessels  made  her  appearance  from 
that  island,  and  informed  us  that  a  patriot  ship, 
called  the  Santa  Rosa,  had  arrived  from  the  coast 
of  Peru,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Turner, 
from  whom  Tameameah  had  purchased  the  ship 
and  cargo,  for  6000  piculs  of  sandal  wood.  It 
struck  me  very  forcibly,  that  she  must  be  some 
ship  with  which  the  crew  had  run  away,  or  they 
could  not  afford  to  sell  her  for  6000  piculs,  as  she 
had  a  very  valuable  cargo  of  dry  goods  on  board, 
and  a  great  deal  of  money,  which  was,  however, 
shared  among  the  crew.  The  people  were  on 


SUSPICIONS     AROUSED.  93 

shore  after  they  had  made  their  bargain,  and  three 
of  them  came  down  to  Woahoo  in  the  King's 
vessel.  I  got  into  conversation  with  one  of  them, 
who  was  half  intoxicated,  and  after  inquiring  into 
the  particulars  of  their  cruise,  I  asked  him  what 
they  had  done  with  their  former  Captain?  By 
this  question  he  was  thrown  off  his  guard,  and 
answered,  that  he  had  been  sent  on  shore  with 
thirteen  others,  at  Valparaiso.  When  I  learned 
this,  I  went  to  the  chief,  named  Bokee,  and  made 
him  acquainted  with  the  circumstance ;  he  had 
them  immediately  brought  to  the  fort,  where  an 
examination  took  place,  in  the  course  of  which  it 
came  out,  that  the  ship,  Santa  Rosa,  alias  Checka 
Boca,  alias  Liberty,  had  been  fitted  out  at  the 
River  Plate,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Turner,  and  had  sailed  round  Cape  Horn,  to 
cruise  against  the  Spaniards  in  the  North  and 
South  Pacific;  on  going  round  the  Horn  there 
were  some  symptons  of  mutiny :  the  men  would 
not  allow  punishment  to  be  inflicted,  and  Captain 
Turner  threatened  hard  that  he  would  punish 
them  severely,  when  the  ship  arrived  at  Valpa- 
raiso. When  they  had  fine  weather  they  were  in 
the  habit  of  exercising  the  guns,  and  on  Sunday, 
the  2yth  of  July,  1817,  having  thus  secured  them, 
the  man  at  the  mast-head,  called  out  JA  sail,  ho!' 
the  people  ran  to  their  quarters,  and  one  of  the 
officers  went  aloft  with  the  glass  to  look  for  the 
vessel;  when  the  crew  loaded  the  guns,  and 
turned  them  aft,  at  the  same  time  seizing  the 
captain  and  officers,  and  crying  out  Liberty! 
Captain  Turner  was  standing  on  the  companion 


94  ACCOUNT    OF    THE    MUTINY. 

with  a  spy  glass  in  his  hand,  when  a  man  of  the 
name  of  Griffiths,  took  him  by  the  legs  and  threw 
him  off.  The  first  lieutenant,  Mr.  Goran,  was 
in  the  cabin  getting  his  pistols,  when  he  heard 
the  noise  on  deck,  and  found  the  ship  in  posses- 
sion of  the  mutineers;  he  fired  his  pistols  up  the 
companion  by  which  one  man  was  wounded. 
The  captain  called  out  to  him  to  blow  the  ship  up ; 
to  prevent  which,  the  sailors  broke  the  sky-light, 
and  got  down  and  secured  him.  All  the  officers 
were  then  confined  in  irons  in  the  forecastle,  and 
a  master's  mate,  named  McDonald,  took  com- 
mand of  the  vessel.  When  they  got  off  Valpa- 
raiso, they  sent  the  captain  and  officers  on  shore, 
(excepting  Mr.  Prockley,  the  master,  whom  they 
kept  to  navigate  the  ship).  They  then  ran  to  the 
island  of  Juan  Fernandes  to  water,  and  stood 
along  the  coast,  where  they  captured  and  des- 
troyed many  Spanish  vessels.  Their  next  run 
was  to  the  Galipagos  Islands  to  refit,  where  a 
second  mutiny  was  sent  on  foot,  but  discovered. 
They  sent  the  principals  on  shore,  one  of  whom 
was  drowned  iri  landing.  Here  Mr.  Prockley,  the 
master,  left  them,  and  went  off  in  an  English  whale 
ship.  Mr.  McDonald  then  assumed  the  name 
of  Turner,  took  the  command,  and  appointed 
officers. 

When  the  ship  was  fitted  and  watered,  they 
again  ran  in  for  the  shore,  where  they  took  towns, 
destroyed  vessels,  robbed  and  burnt  churches; 
in  short,  they  became  the  terror  of  the  coast. 
They  sent  a  party  of  forty  men,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Griffiths,  who  was  the  first  lieutenant,  to 


THE    SANTA    ROSA    TAKEN    CHARGE    OF.  95 

go  into  a  port,  and  cut  out  some  vessels,  of  which 
they  had  information;  but,  when  this  party  were 
out  of  sight  of  the  ship,  it  was  agreed  by  those 
who  remained  on  board,  to  steer  her  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  and  sell  her  which  they  accordingly 
did.    Upon  our  obtaining  this  information  of  the 
Santa  Rosa,  we  sent  an  account  of  it  to  Tamea- 
meah,  who  gave  orders  for  the  men  to  be  dis- 
tributed among  the  chiefs,  each  to  have  a  certain 
number  under  his  charge  to  be  answerable  for; 
shortly  after  this,  the  party  who  had  been  away 
under  the  command  of  Mr.   Griffiths,  arrived  at 
Owhyhee  in  a  small  brig,  which  they  had  cap- 
tured.    They  were  outrageous  at  finding  the  ship 
in  possession  of  the  king,  and  wanted  him  to  give 
her  up,  offering  him  the  brig  and  all  her  cargo  in 
exchange;  but  he  refused  to  do  so,  saying,  they 
were  robbers,  and  he  would  hold  the  ship  for  the 
owners.    He  had  her  accordingly  hauled  close  in 
shore,  and  a  number  of  white  men  and  natives 
continually  on  board,  and  the  guns  double  shotted. 
Mr.   McDonald  made  his   escape  on  board  the 
brig;  they  touched  at  Wo'ahoo;  I  went  on  board, 
and  they  gave  me  letters  for  England,   which  I 
since  delivered.     Hence  they  ran  to  Atooai  and 
back  to  Woahoo,  hovering  about  the  islands  for 
some  time  in  hopes  of  regaining  their  ship.     In 
the  middle  of  June,  Captain  Jennings  returned 
from  Owhyhee,  leaving  the  King  in  a  poor  state 
of  health ;  and  we  now  only  awaited  the  arrival 
of  American  N.  W.  ships   (which  generally  call 
here  in  their  passage  to  China),  to  freight  our 
wood  to  Canton. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Account     of    the     Sandwich     Islands.  —  Woahoo.  — 
Customs,     Etc. 


Island  of  Woahoo  is  by  far  the  most 
important  of  the  group  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  chiefly  on  account  of  its  excellent 
harbours  and  good  water.  It  is  in  a  high  state 
of  cultivation:  and  abounds  with  cattle,  hogs, 
sheep,  goats,  horses,  etc.,  as  well  as  vegetables 
and  fruit  of  every  description.  The  ships  in 
those  seas  generally  touch  at  Owhyhee,  and  get 
permission  from  Tameameah,  before  they  can  go 
into  the  harbour  of  Woahoo.  He  sends  a  confi- 
dential man  on  board  to  look  after  the  vessel, 
and  keep  the  natives  from  stealing;  and,  previous 
to  entering  the  harbour  of  Honorora  (Honolulu), 
they  must  pay  eighty  dollars  harbour  duty,  and 
twelve  dollars  to  John  Harbottle,  the  pilot.  This 
duty  has  only  lately  been  laid  on,  on  account  of 
the  King's  brig  Taamano,  having  to  pay  for  her 
anchorage  at  Macao,  when  sent  there  with  a  cargo 
of  sandal  wood,  in  1816.  Tameameah  justly 
observes,  that  if  his  ships  have  to  pay  on  entering 
a  foreign  port,  it  is  but  reasonable  that  foreign 
ships  should  pay  on  entering  his  ports.  There 


ATTRACTIVE    WAIKIKI.  97 

are  three  close  harbours  on  the  south  side  of 
Woahoo,  between  Diamond  hill  and  Barber's 
Point.  On  rounding  Diamond  hill  the  village  of 
Wyteetee  (Waikiki)  appears  through  large  groves 
of  cocoanut  and  bread-fruit  trees;  it  has  a  most 
beautiful  appearance,  the  land  all  round  in  the 
highest  state  of  cultivation,  and  the  hills  covered 
with  wood ;  a  beautiful  plain  extending  as  far  as 
the  eye  can  reach.  A  reef  of  coral  runs  along 
the  whole  course  of  this  shore,  within  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  of  the  beach,  on  which  the  sea  breaks 
high ;  inside  this  reef  there  is  a  passage  for  canoes . 
Ships  frequently  anchor  in  the  bay,  in  from  six- 
teen to  twenty  fathoms,  over  a  sand  and  coral 
bottom.  Several  of  the  king's  old  vessels  are 
hauled  upon  shore  and  sheds  built  over  them. 
His  Majesty  formerly  resided  at  this  village,  but  of 
late  years  has  preferred  his  native  place,  Owhy- 
hee.  About  four  miles  to  the  westward  of  Wy- 
teetee is  the  village  and  harbour  of  Honorora;  it 
is  the  largest  on  the  island,  as  the  natives  collect 
from  all  other  parts  to  be  near  the  shipping.  The 
harbour  is  known  by  a  deep  and  remarkable 
valley  over  the  village,  through  which  the  N.  E- 
trade  wind  blows  very  strong.  The  island  is  not 
more  than  five  leagues  across  at  this  part.  The 
best  time  to  get  into  the  harbour  is  early  in  the 
morning,  before  the  wind  sets  violently  in  a  con- 
trary direction;  the  chief  generally  sends  a  num- 
ber of  large  double  canoes  to  tow  the  ship  in,  as 
the  entrance  of  the  harbour  is  not  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  wide.  Small  vessels,  when 
about  to  enter,  run  close  to  the  east  side  of  the 


98  HONOLULU    FORT    DESCRIBED. 

reef,  where  hundreds  of  the  natives  are  collected, 
and,  by  throwing  a  rope  to  them,  the  ship  is 
pulled  up  to  the  anchorage. — Ships  can  moor 
close  to  the  shore,  so  as  to  have  a  stage  from 
thence,  and  be  as  safe  as  if  they  were  in  the 
London  Docks.  A  fine  round  battery  on  the  S. 
E.  flat,  or  point,  mounting  about  sixty  guns,  pro- 
tects the  village  and  harbour.  The  fort  occupies 
about  eight  acres  of  ground;  the  facing  of  the 
wall  is  stone,  about  eighteen  feet  high,  and  about 
the  same  breadth  on  the  top,  gradually  sloping 
to  make  a  base  of  about  thirty  feet.  It  is  con^ 
structed  of  hard  clay  and  dry  grass  and  sand 
well  cemented  together;  on  the  top  of  this  wall 
are  embrasures  built  of  the  same  materials,  with- 
out stone;  the  guns  are  mounted  all  round,  and 
are  from  four  to  eighteen  pounders,  the  heaviest 
guns  facing  the  sea.  The  magazine  is  under 
ground  and  well  secured;  and  in  the  middle  of 
the  fort  stands  a  flag-staff,  on  which  the  island 
colours  are  displayed,  consisting  of  a  union  jack, 
with  a  red  and  blue  stripe  for  each  island.  Round 
the  flag-staff  are  the  chiefs  houses,  and  barracks 
for  the  soldiers.  The  strictest  discipline  is  observ- 
ed; the  guard  relieved  very  regularly  in  the 
night,  and  the  word  "All  is  well,"  sung  out  in 
English  every  ten  minutes  !  The  Americans 
supply  them  with  powder  and  stores,  for  which 
they  get  sandal  wood,  rope,  hogs,  vegetables,  etc. 
The  village  consists  of  about  300  houses  regularly 
built,  those  of  the  chiefs  being  larger  and  fenced 
in.  Each  family  must  have  three  houses,  one  to 
sleep  in,  one  for  the  men  to  eat  in,  and  one  for 


HONOLULU   AND   ADJACENT    HARBORS.  99 

the  women, — the  sexes  not  being  allowed  to  eat 
together.     Cocoanut,  bread-fruit,  and  castor-oil- 
nut*  trees,  form  delicious  shades,  between  the 
village   and   a  range  of  mountains  which  runs 
along  the  island  in  a  N.  W.  and  S.  E.  direction. 
The  ground  is  laid  out  in  beautiful  square  patches, 
where  the  tarrow  grows,  round  which  they  plant 
sugar  canes  and  Indian  corn.     They  have  also  a 
number  of  fine  fish  ponds,  in  which  they  keep 
mullet  and  a  fish  they  call  ava.     On  the  N.  W. 
side  of  the  harbour  is  a  fresh  water  river,  where 
a  ship's  long  boat  can  go  up  about  two  miles  and 
fill  the  water  casks  in  the  boat.      About  three 
miles   to    westward   of    Honorora  is   a   second 
harbour,   easier  of  access  and  superior  to  the 
other  in  every  respect,  except  the  want  of  a  water- 
ing place.     There  are  but  few  farmers'  and  fish- 
ermen's houses  hereabouts,  and  for  this  reason, 
it  is  not  frequented;  in  fact  few  ships  know  any 
thing  of  it.     About  six  miles  to  the  westward  of 
this   harbour,    is   Wy   Momi,    or   Pearl   Water. 
This  inlet  extends  about  five  leagues  up  the  coun- 
try in  a  northerly  direction;  it  is  about  four  miles 
across  in  the  widest  part,   and  at  the  entrance 
about  half  a  mile.     There  is  not  more  than  fifteen 
feet  of  water  on  the  bar  or  reef  at  high  water, 
and  inside  from  six  to  eighteen  fathoms  mud  and 
sand.     There  is  an  island  about  two  miles  in  cir- 
cumference in  the  middle  of  this  inlet,  belonging 
to  Mr.  Manning  (Don  Marin),  a  Spaniard,  who 
has  been  here  for  many  years.     It  is  covered  with 
goats,  rabbits,  and  hogs,  belonging  to  him.     At 

*  The  writer  here  has  reference  to  the  kukuitree. 


100  PEARL    OYSTER    INDUSTRY. 

the  head  of  the  inlet  is  a  run  of  very  fine  fresh 
water,  and  provisions  are  here  cheap  and  plentiful. 
There  are  many  divers  employed  here,  diving"  for 
the  pearl  oysters,  which  are  found  in  great  plenty. 
We  saved  them  much  trouble  and  labor  by  pre- 
senting- the  King-  with  an  oyster  dredg-e  we  had 
on   board,  with  which  Tameameah  was  highly 
delighted.     The  reef ,  or  flat,  extends  from  this 
inlet  to  Barber's  point  which  is  about  eig-ht  miles 
to  the  westward,  and  from  thence  several  miles  to 
seain  aS.  W.  direction.     Round  Barber's  Point 
to  the  north  is  the  bay  and  village  of  Y-eni  (Wai- 
anae);  and  a  little  further  to  the  N.  W.  stands  the 
villag-e  of  Y-rooa  (Waialua);  on  the  west  end  of 
the  island  is  the  villag-e  and  bay  of  Wymea.  There 
are  no  harbours  on  the  N.  E.   side  of  the  island, 
and  only  two  large  villages.   As  I  before  observed, 
the  women  are  not  allowed  to  enter  the  men's 
eating-houses,  or  even  to  appear  on  the  inside  of 
the  fence,  on  pain  of  death.     Neither  men  nor 
women  are  allowed  to  eat  in  the  sleeping--houses ; 
the   women    are   prohibited    from    eating-  pork, 
cocoanuts,  bananas,  plantains,   and  many  other 
thing's,  which  are  used  as  offering-  to  the  gods,  and 
it  is  considered  a  profanation  if  a  woman  should 
touch  anything-  so  offered.     They  are  not  even 
allowed  to  touch  anything  that  goes  inside  of  the 
men's  eating  house;  they  have  their  own  vessels 
to  eat  and  drink  out  of;   and  they  must  have  a 
separate  fire,  at  which  to  cook  their  victuals;  the 
men's  fire  being  called  yahee  taboo  (ahi  kapu), 
or  prohibited  fire,  from  which  they  cannot  even 
light  their  pipes,  though  both  young  and  old  are 


FREQUENT    KAPU    PERIODS.  IOI 

very  fond  of  smoking-  tobacco.  There  are  several 
morals,  or  churches  in  the  village,  and  at  new 
moon  the  priests,  chiefs  and  hikanees  (aikane) 
enter  them  with  offerings  of  hogs,  plantains,  and 
cocoanuts,  which  they  set  before  the  wooden 
images.  Theplace  is  fenced  in,  and  have  pieces 
of  white  flags  flying  on  the  fences.  They  remain 
in  the  morai  three  nights  and  two  days  at  new 
moon,  beginning  at  sun-set  and  ending  at  sun-rise, 
feasting  on  roast  hogs,  and  praying  all  the  time. 
On  the  first  quarter,  they  remain  inside  two  nights 
and  one  day;  full  moon  and  last  quarter,  the  same 
time.  While  the  chiefs  and  priests  are  in  the 
morai,  the  women  are  prohibited  from  going  on 
the  salt  water,  either  in  canoes  or  boats,  or  even 
from  touching  it;  neither  are  they  permitted  to 
come  within  forty  yards  of  the  morai.  The  com- 
mon people  know  nothing  more  about  their  reli- 
gion than  a  stranger  who  never  saw  the  islands. 
They  pay  the  greatest  respect  to  their  chiefs  and 
priests,  and  are  kept  in  superstitious  ignorance. 
Their  muckahitee,  or  annual  festival,  commences 
in  November;  it  begins  by  three  of  the  most 
expert  warriors  throwing  each  a  spear  at  Tamea- 
meah,  who  is  obliged  to  stand  without  anything 
in  his  hand  to  fend  them  off,  the  first  spear  he 
catches,  and  with  it  makes  the  other  spears  fly 
several  yards  above  his  head.  He  then  breaks  a 
cocoanut;  the  sea  is  tabooed,  and  none  of  the 
natives  are  allowed  to  go  near  it.  The  King 
enters  the  church  where  he  remains  for  some 
days,  and  the  people  decorate  their  houses  with 
green  branches  and  new  mats.  They  dress  in 


IO2  MAKAHIKI    FESTIVITIES. 

their  best  garments,  and  the  head  god  is  taken 
from  the  principal  morai,  and  sent  round  the 
island  carried  by  the  priests.  Any  persons  com- 
ing between  the  god  and  the  sea  are  immediately 
stripped  of  their  garments,  and  the  same  is  done 
if  they  do  not  strip  as  the  god  is  passing,  and  lie 
flat  on  their  faces.  This  is  the  season  for  dancing, 
boxing,  feasting,  and  all  kinds  of  amusement. 
When  the  god  arrives  from  the  place  whence  he 
first  started,  the  Taboo  is  taken  off.  They  are 
generally  about  thirty  days  going  round,  calling 
at  all  the  villages  and  plantations,  to  remind  the 
people  that  it  is  time  to  bring  in  their  taxes,  which 
they  do  twice  a  year.  This  feast  ended  while  I 
was  here  on  the  24th  of  December.  I  have  fre- 
quently questioned  the  chiefs  about  their  religion, 
and  their  general  answer  was,  that  they  go  to 
the  morais  more  to  feast  than  pray,  which  I 
believe  to  be  really  the  case.  Mr.  Cox,  or  Tey- 
motoo  (Keeaumoku),  that  I  have  before  men- 
tioned, sets  the  wooden  gods  and  priests  at  defi- 
ance; he  says,  that  they  are  all  liars,  and  that  the 
white  men's  God  is  the  true  and  only  God. 
The  Sandwich  Islanders  have  entirely  abolished 
human  sacrifices;  all  the  time  I  have  been  about 
these  islands,  I  have  not  known  a  single  instance 
of  sacrificing  a  human  being. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

Account    of   the    Customs    in    the    Sandwich    Islands 
continued. 

THE  natives  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  are  very 
superstitious;  they  believe  that  the  spirits 
of  the  departed  are  permitted  to  revisit  this 
world;  and  also,  that  the  burning- mountain  on 
Owhyhee  is  hell,  and  that  all  wicked  people  will 
go  there  after  this  life;  on  the  contrary,  that 
those  people  who  are  good  in  this  world  are 
made  spirits,  and  permitted  to  rove  about  at 
pleasure.  Tameameah  is  high  priest  as  well  as 
king.  When  he  comes  on  board  a  ship  he  is 
attended  by  several  chiefs  and  hikanees,  or  coun- 
sellors, one  of  whom  carries  his  spit-box;  this  is 
considered  a  very  great  honour!  He  is  also 
followed  by  a  sword-bearer,  and  a  file  of  men 
with  muskets,  and  a  number  of  attendants  with 
bunches  of  feathers  to  keep  the  flies  off,  and  fans 
to  cool  him.  His  four  wives  generally  accom- 
pany him  on  board.  The  King  never  spits  any 
where  but  in  the  box,  the  contents  of  which, 
together  with  grosser  evacuations,  are  taken  to 
sea  with  his  cast-off  garments,  and  committed  to 
the  deep;  it  being  his  firm  belief,  that  if  any 


104  SUPERSTITION    PREVALENT. 

person  got  a  part  of  either,  they  would  have  the 
power  to  pray  him  to  death.  While  I  remained 
here  I  saw  many  instances  of  this  strange  prac- 
tice. The  common  people  think  that  it  is  in  the 
power  of  the  chief  priests  to  pray  them  to  death 
at  pleasure.  When  on  shore  I  had  a  small  shav- 
ing- pot  and  a  carving  knife  stolen ;  I  went  to  a 
priest,  made  him  a  present  of  a  file,  and  told  him 
what  I  had  lost,  upon  which  he  came  to  the 
house,  and  sent  a  cryer  round  the  village,  pro- 
claiming, that  if  the  articles  stolen  were  not  pro- 
duced before  night,  all  the  parties  concerned 
in  the  theft  should  be  prayed  to  death.  Next 
morning  we  found  the  knife  and  pot  outside  of 
the  eating-house  door;  and  I  never  again  lost  any 
thing  while  I  remained  on  the  island.  This  plan 
of  terrifying  these  purloiners  is  an  excellent  one 
to  prevent  theft,  and  in  fact  to  govern  them,  as 
superstition  prevails  so  strongly  among  them,  as 
to  be  the  only  basis  on  which  to  build  certain 
laws.  The  chiefs  make  use  of  a  root,  called  ava, 
which  is  preparing  by  chewing  it  well  and  spitting 
it  into  a  calabash;  and,  when  they  have  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  collected,  they  strainit  through  the 
fibres  of  the  cocoa-nut.  It  is  taken  daily  in  small 
quantities  for  about  a  month,  and  has  the  effect 
of  intoxicating.  When  a  man  first  commences 
taking  it,  he  begins  to  break  out  in  scales  about 
the  head,  and  it  makes  the  eyes  very  sore  and 
red,  then  the  neck  and  breasts,  working  down- 
wards, till  it  approaches  the  feet,  when  the  dose 
is  reduced.  At  this  time  the  body  is  covered  all 
over  with  a  white  scruff,  or  scale,  resembling  the 


EMPLOYMENT  OF  THE  PEOPLE.        105 

dry  scurvy.  These  scales  drop  off  in  the  order 
of  their  formation,  from  the  head,  face,  neck,  and 
body,  and  finally  leave  a- beautiful,  smooth,  clear 
skin,  and  the  frame  clear  of  all  disease: — The 
process  is  also  held  to  be  a  certain  cure  for 
venereal  infection.  I  have  known  many  white 
men  go  through  a  course  of  this  powerful  medi- 
cine. Women  are  not  allowed  to  use  it;  and  thus, 
unhappily,  the  dreadful  disease,  first  brought  to 
these  islands  by  Captain  Cook's  crew,  remains  to 
curse  the  inhabitants. 

The  principal  employment  of  the  men  is  tilling 
the  ground,  making  canoes,  spears,  etc.  The 
chiefs  keep  as  many  followers  about  them  as  they 
can  feed  and  clothe,  and  when  provisions  fail 
with  one  master,  these  seek  another  who  is  better 
able  to  support  them.  Some  are  so  much  attached 
to  their  chiefs,  that  they  go  off  in  ships  to  the 
N.  W.  coast  of  America,  and  often  to  China,  and, 
when  they  return,  give  all  they  have  earned  to 
their  chief,  for  which  he  gives  them  a  farm,  and 
they  become  great  men.  The  old  women  are 
employed  in  making  cloth,  which  is  done  in  the 
following  manner : — they  collect  a  quantity  of  the 
bark  of  the  young  mulberry-trees,  (which  are 
cultivated  for  that  purpose;)  they  lay  it  in  soak 
for  several  days,  and  tljen  beat  it  upon  a  block, 
which  is  grooved,  or  fluted;  the  stick  with  which 
they  beat  it  is  also  grooved.  They  beat  some  as 
fine  as  paper,  and  in  this  manner  they  can  produce 
any  size,  some  coarse,  and  some  fine;  some  they 
make  to  stand  the  water ;  those  are  painted  in  oil 
colours.  The  young  women  rove  about  without 


106  PROPENSITY    TO    GAMBLING. 

restraint  till  they  attain  the  age  of  twenty.  They 
then  become  more  steady  and  have  children. 
The  boys  are  always  practising  throwing  the 
spear,  swimming,  diving,  and  playing  in  the  surf; 
flying  kites  is  a  favourite  amusement;  while  on 
shore  here  I  made  several.  The  natives  are  very 
great  gamblers;  their  original  game  is  draughts, 
but  instead  of  having  twelve  men  each,  they  have 
about  forty;  the  board  is  painted  in  squares,  with 
black  and  white  stones  for  men,  and  the  game  is 
decided  by  one  party  losing  all  his  pieces.  They 
play  another  game,  by  hiding  a  stone  under  three 
pieces  of  cloth.  Six  people  play  at  this  game, 
each  party  having  his  stone  and  cloths,  and  a 
small  wand  with  which  they  strike  the  cloth  under 
which  they  think  the  stone  is  deposited.  If  they  do 
not  guess  right  the  first,  time  the  stone  is  shifted, 
and  so  on  alternately.  I  have  seen  the  chiefs  sit 
for  a  whole  day  before  they  decided  one  game. 
They  are  fond  of  cards,  and  play  whist,  all-fours, 
and  nosey >  extremely  well,  They  often  gamble 
away  houses,  lands,  canoes,  and  even  the  clothes 
off  their  backs.  They  are  prone  to  the  use  of 
spirituous  liquors,  and  think  nothing  of  taking  a 
tumbler  of  strong  Jamaica  rum  at  a  draught.  The 
chief  women  are,  if  possible,  the  greatest  drunk- 
ards. They  distill  an  excellent  spirit  from  the  tee 
root,  which  grows  wild  about  the  mountains,  and 
resembles  the  beet  root  of  this  country.  It  is, 
however,  larger  and  much  sweeter,  of  a  brownish 
appearance,  and  in  perfection  all  the  year  round. 
The  natives  collect  a  quantity  of  this  root,  and 
bake  it  well  under  ground;  when  sufficiently 


DISTILLING    INTRODUCED.  1 07 

baked,  they  pound  it  up  in  an  old  canoe  kept  for 
that  purpose,  mixing1  water  with  it,  and  leaving1  it 
to  ferment  for  several  days.  Their  stills  are 
formed  out  of  iron  pots,  which  they  procure 
from  ships  that  call  here. — These  they  can  enlarge 
to  any  size,  by  fixing- calabashes,  or  gourds,  with 
the  bottom  cut  off  and  made  to  fit  close  on  the  pot, 
cemented  well  with  a  sort  of  clay,  called  paroro 
(palolo).  A  copper  cone  is  also  affixed,  with 
which  an  old  gun-barrel  is  connected,  and  goes 
through  a  calabash  of  cold  water,  which  cools 
the  spirit.  The  stills  tire  commonly  placed  by  a 
stream  of  water,  and  they  continue  to  take  the 
warm  water  out  of  the  cooler  and  put  in  cold;  by 
which  simple  process  a  spirit  is  produced,  not 
unlike  whiskey,  only  not  so  strong,  and  much 
more  pleasant.  It  is  called  by  the  natives  Y-wer 'a 
(wai  wela),  which  signifies  warm-water,  or  luma, 
trying  to  imitate  the  word  rum.  A  man,  by  the 
name  of  Wm.  Stephenson,  was  the  first  who 
introduced  distilling;  he  was  a  convict  who  had 
escaped  from  New  South  Wales,  and  lived  on 
the  islands  for  many  years.  He  has  left  a  large 
family  behind  him.  John  Young  claims  the  right 
of  first  discovering  this  mode  of  distilling;  but,  in 
my  opinion,  neither  of  them  deserves  great  credit 
for  the  introduction. 

Mr.  Manning  (Don  Marin),  a  Spaniard,  who  left 
Nootka  Sound,  on  the  N.  W.  coast  of  America,  at 
the  time  the  Spaniards  formed  an  establishment 
at  that  place,  has  cultivated  the  grape  and  peach 
here.  From  the  former,  he  makes  very  good 
wine,  and,  from  the  latter,  good  peach  brandy, 


108  KALO     CULTIVATION. 

In  company  with  this  man,  I  went  round  the 
island,  and  found  all  the  plains  and  valleys  in  the 
highest  state  of  cultivation.  Tarrow,  which  is 
the  principal  vegetable,  grows  in  abundance; 
there  are  two  sorts ;  the  first  and  best  is  planted 
in  large  square  patches,  banked  up  about  six 
feet,  and  beat  down  very  hard  at  the  bottom  and 
sides,  so  as  to  hold  water;  the  growers  then  put 
a  quantity  of  loose  mould,  turn  some  water  on, 
and  plant  the  tarrow  in  straight  lines,  or  circles; 
and  the  water  forms  a  fish  pond  as  well  as  tarrow 
patch.  This  root  takes  about  nine  months  to 
come  to  perfection,  They  manage  it  so  as  to 
have  the  patch  always  full,  for  as  they  dig  up  that 
which  is  ripe,  they  plant  the  suckers  in  its  room, 
and  by  the  time  they  come  to  the  end  of  a  patch, 
that  which  was  first  planted  is  ripe,  and  by  this 
means  they  are  never  without  it.  They  turn  the 
water  from  the  mountains,  bring  it  down  in  streams 
to  the  tarrow  ground,  and  take  it  in  rotation  to 
turn  it  on  to  the  different  patches.  Round  the 
banks  of  these  patches  there  are  beautiful  walks, 
planted  with  sugar  canes  and  plaintain  trees. 
The  other  sort  of  a  tarrow  is  planted  in  dry 
ground,  and  takes  a  year  to  come  to  perfection. 
The  sweet  potato  is  planted  in  the  same  manner, 
and  is  hilled  up  with  earth.  They  have  plenty  of 
what  are  commonly  called  Irish  potatoes,  yams, 
bread-fruit,  melons,  (both  water  and  musk,)  cab- 
bages, onions,  celery,  garlick;  also  very  good 
wheat,  rice,  Indian  corn,  and  every  description 
of  fruit  that  grows  in  the  West  Indies;  turnips, 
cucumbers,  radishes,  salad,  in  fact  all  that  is 


FAUNA,    ETC.    OF    HAWAII.  1 09 

produced  in  England  will  grow  there.  On  Owhy- 
hee  they  have  strawberries,  raspberries,  cranber- 
ries, and  wild  apples,  and  many  other  kinds  of 
fruit;  they  have  excellent  oranges,  lemons,  limes, 
citrons,  pine-apples,  etc.,  etc. ;  they  also  cultivate 
the  tobacco  plant,  of  which  the  natives  use  an 
immense  quantity,  as  men,  women  and  children 
smoke  a  great  deal.  The  cotton  and  coffee  grows 
here  very  well.  They  have  plenty  of  cattle, 
sheep,  goats,  hogs,  ducks,  geese,  fowls,  etc., 
and  a  few  horses.  The  cattle  go  about  wild,  and 
are  not  allowed  to  be  shot  without  permission  from 
the  King  Tameameah.  Mr.  Manning  the  Span- 
iard, keeps  a  large  herd  of  tame  cattle,  and  makes 
excellent  butter  and  cheese;  he  has  several 
Indians  to  take  care  of  them,  and  they  are  penned 
up  regularly.  Some  of  the  wild  cattle  often  come 
in  with  this  herd,  and  are  penned  up,  but  allowed 
to  go  out  in  the  morning. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

Account  of  the  Sandwich  Islanders  continued. — Fe- 
male dress  ;  that  of  the  men  and  chiefs  — Curious 
fishing. — Personal  Adventure. — Mode  of  catching 
flying  fish,  etc. — Weather. — Ancient  fort  and  novel 
fortifications. — Superstitious  story,  and  its  effects. 
— Their  food,  cooking,  etc. 

THE  women  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  are  well 
made  and  handsome;  their  dress  consists 
of  ten  sheets  of  cloth  of  the  country,  three 
feet  broad  and  three  yards  long-,  wrapped  round 
their  waists  and  descending-  to  the  middle  of  the 
leg1.  The  outside  sheet  is  prettily  painted,  and 
resembles  a  piece  of  printed  calico :  this  part  of 
the  dress  is  called  pa'ou  (pa'u).  Their  upper  gar- 
ments are  composed  of  sheets,  about  three  yards 
square;  some  are  painted,  some  are  dyed  black, 
and  others  white;  these  they  can  reduce  at  pleas- 
ure. A  tobacco-pipe  is  hung,  with  a  small  look- 
ing-glass, round  their  necks,  and  they  do  not  con- 
sider themselves  dressed  without  them.  They 
also  wear  an  ivory  hook,  called  palava  (palaoa), 
fastened  round  the  neck  with  the  plaited  hair  of 
their  friends.  Some  of  the  women  wear  their 
hair  long  and  tied,  others  cut  it  close  off,  turn  it 


A    LARGE    FISHING    PARTY.  Ill 

up  in  front,  and  lime  it  till  quite  white;  it  then 
looks  like  the  border  of  a  cap.  They  are  very 
fond  of  white  shirts  and  black  silk  handkerchiefs, 
and  look  extremely  well  in  them.  The  men 
wear  a  piece  of  cloth  three  yards  long  and  a 
foot  wide;  this  is  passed  between  the  legs  and 
round  the  loins,  and  is  of  the  stoutest  cloth  they 
make.  They  also  wear  a  cloth  over  the  shoul- 
ders the  same  as  the  women.  The  chiefs,  on 
particular  occasions,  wear  a  handsome  cloak 
and  helmet  of  feathers,  in  which  dress  their  ap- 
pearance is  very  imposing.  They  have  very  fine 
mats  to  put  on  in  wet  weather,  finely  painted  and 
fringed.  While  I  was  here  I  was  invited  by  one 
of  the  chiefs  to  join  a  fishing  party  on  the  flats  to 
the  westward  of  the  harbour  of  Honorora.  There 
were  several  fires  lit  the  night  previous,  and,  in 
the  morning,  the  nets  were  run  out  and  set  on  the 
flat.  The  people  collected  from  all  parts  of  the 
island:  they  all  strip  and  start  from  two  points, 
making  a  circuit  of  several  miles;  both  parties 
meet  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  flats,  and,  forming 
a  circle,  they  gradually  close  in,  keeping  their 
feet  close  together  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the 
fish,  the  water  not  being  more  than  knee  deep. 
Each  person  is  provided  with  a  scoop  net  and  a 
bag  net  over  his  shoulder;  they  are  permitted  to 
scoop  up  what  they  can  and  fill  their  bag;  still 
closing  in,  when  the  nets  are  drawn  all  round 
after  them.  By  this  method  they  catch  50  or  60 
canoe-loads'.  There  were  not  fewer  than  6000 
people  collected  at  this  party,  which  ended,  as 
all  such  do,  in  a  fight  about  the  division  of  the 


112  CAPSIZED    IN   THE   SURF. 

fish.  On  my  return  from  this  expedition  I  was 
nearly  lost:  I  embarked  in  a  canoe  with  Toowy- 
heene  (Kuwahine),  wife  to  Keymatoo  (Keeau- 
moku),  the  king's  prime  minister,  who  steered 
the  canoe,  and  when  we  came  to  the  reef  of  the 
harbor  wanted  to  try  her  skill  in  dashing  through 
the  surf,  which  ran  very  high.  We  got  through 
several  breakers,  but  she  at  length  let  the  canoe 
broach  too,  by  which  we  were  upset  and  all 
thrown  out.  The  chief's  wife  and  four  of  the 
natives  collected  round  me,  while  the  remainder 
were  employed  in  getting  the  canoe  from  the 
surf  and  baling  her  out.  I  was  in  a  most  peril- 
ous situation  for  about  half  an  hour,  being  obliged 
to  dive  through  every  surf,  attended  by  the  natives 
and  the  chief's  wife,  with  whose  aid  I  managed  to 
take  my  clothes  off,  which  made  me  swim  much 
lighter.  We  ultimately  got  safe  into  the  harbour, 
but  I  never  could  be  tempted  to  run  over  the 
breakers  again. 

Having  described  an  aquatic  fishing  bout,  I 
will  now  describe  the  mode  of  catching  flying 
fish: — The  nets  in  which  they  are  taken  are 
made  of  twine,  which  is  spun  from  a  sort  of  hemp, 
called  by  the  natives  oorana  (olona),  and  very 
strong.  A  number  of  nets  are  laced  together,  so 
as  to  make  one  of  two  or  three  hundred  yards  in 
length ;  they  are  about  six  foot  broad,  with  a  large 
and  strong  bag  in  the  centre,  and  these  they  run 
out  in  a  straight  line,  the  upper  part  of  which  is 
boated  by  cork  wood,  and  the  lower  sunk  with 
stones.  They  take  large  branches  of  trees  and 
lay  along  the  head  line,  which  prevent  the  fish 


DEEP     SEA     FISHING.  1 13 

from  flying  over ;  a  large  double  canoe  is  placed 
at  each  end  of  the  net,  gradually  drawing  it  to  a 
circle,  while  a  number  of  other  canoes  are 
employed  in  the  open  space,  beating  the  water 
and  diving  to  frighten  the  fish  toward  the  net. 
When  the  double  canoes  at  the  ends  of  the  net 
meet,  they  take  the  net  in,  gradually  contracting 
the  circle  till  the  fish  are  forced  into  the  bag. 
Sometimes,  at  a  haul  of  this  kind,  they  will  catch 
six  or  eight  canoes  full,  though  not  without  risk, 
for  fishermen  often  get  black  eyes  and  bruised 
faces  from  the  fish  flying  about,  which  are  the 
largest  I  have  ever  seen.  Albicores,  dolphins, 
and  bonitos,  are  caught  in  the  following  manner: 
A  canoe  that  pulls  seven  paddles  goes  to  sea  with 
two  good  fishermen,  (besides  the  paddlers),  each 
with  a  stout  bamboo,  about  20  feet  long,  a  strong 
line  made  from  the  oorana,  and  about  the  size  of 
a  log-line,  is  affixed;  the  line  is  about  three-quar- 
ters of  the  length  of  the  pole,  and  has  a  pearl 
hook  made  fast  to  it.  The  canoe  is  then  paddled 
very  swiftly  with  the  hooks  towing  on  the  surface 
of  the  water,  one  at  each  side,  the  fishermen  hold- 
ing the  rod  steady  against  their  thigh,  and  the 
lower  end  resting  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe ;  they 
steady  the  pole  with  one  hand,  and,  with  the 
other  keep  throwing  water  on  the  hook,  and  when 
their  prey  gets  hooked,  by  lifting  the  pole  upright 
the  fish  swings  in,  and  is  caught  under  the  left 
arm  and  secured.  In  this  manner  they  will  take 
40  or  50  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours.  They  have 
a  sort  of  heath  here  which  the  natives  pound  up, 
and  with  it  dive  among  the  rocks,  and,  in  a  few 


H4  THE    RAINY    SEASON. 

minutes,  all  the  fish  within  a  certain  distance, 
sicken  and  come  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  and 
are  easily  taken.  The  natives  immediately  gut 
them.  Whether  the  fish  eat  this  heath  or  not  I 
could  never  learn,  but  certainly  it  is  a  most  power- 
ful poison. 

On  moon  light  nights,  the  natives  collect  on  the 
plain  to  the  number  of  many  hundreds,  men, 
women,  and  children;  here  they  sit  in  a  ring, 
where  they  dance,  sing,  and  play  all  manner  of 
games,  and  seldom  break  up  before  midnight. 
On  these  islands  they  have  much  rain  in  the 
months  of  November,  December,  January,  and 
February,  and  sometimes  it  blows  heavy  gales, 
equal  to  the  West  India  hurricanes,  from  the  STW. 
These  commonly  prevail  in  January,  and,  during 
the  remainder  of  tfre  year,  the  trade-wind  blows 
steady  from  N.  to  N.  E.  sometimes  very  strong. 
The  hard  gales  from  the  S.  W.  the  natives  call 
momotoo  (mumuku) ;  previous  to  the  gale,  the  sea 
sets  in  heavily  from  the  S.  W.  with  dark  gloomy 
weather,  the  mountains  are  covered  with  dense 
clouds,  and  the  tempest  is  preceded  by  a  dead 
calm  for  one  or  two  days,  during  which  time  the 
canoes  are  not  allowed  to  go  on  the  water.  The 
gale  very  often  blows  down  the  houses,  tears 
tree  up  by  the  roots,  and  does  much  mischief  by 
overflowing  the  fish-ponds  at  the  water  side,  by 
which  means  the  fish  escape.  At  Woahoo  the 
tide  flows  30  minutes  past  four,  full  and  change, 
rising  about  seven  feet. 

In  my  tour  with  Mr.  Manning  (Manini),  we 
visited  the  ruin  of  a  large  stone  house,  or  fort, 


A    ROYAL    VISITOR,    IN    SPIRIT.  1 15 

which  had  formerly  belonged  to  a  great  chief; 
it  had  a  double  fence  of  human  bones  round  it; 
these  were  the  bones  of  his  enemies  killed  in  the 
war  before  the  islands  were  visited  by  Europeans. 
The  bones  of  this  great  chief  are  said  to  be  still 
in  the  house;  the  natives  are  afraid  to  go  near  it, 
preferring  to  go  a  round  of  five  or  six  miles  to 
passing  it.  Mr.  Manning  had  an  island  in  Pearl 
River,  as  before  stated,  which  we  also  visited. 
It  is  about  two  miles  in  circumference,  having  a 
large  cave  in  the  centre .  It  is  covered  with  goats , 
hogs,  and  rabbits.  Only  one  family  resides  there, 
consisting  of  a  man,  his  wife,  and  three  children, 
with  two  servants,  all  belonging  to  Mr.  Manning. 
We  remained  on  it  two  days.  One  evening  after 
supper  the  man  gave  us  an  account  of  a  singular 
affair,  which  occurred  to  him  when  he  first  got 
charge  of  the  island.  He  was  one  night  awoke 
by  some  person  calling  him  by  name,  and  telling 
him  to  attend  to  what  he  said;  he  looked  up,  and 
was  much  terrified  on  beholding  the  pale  form  of 
the  late  King  Pereoranee  (Paleioholani)  before 
him,  who  told  him  as  he  valued  his  life  so  must 
he  perform  what  he  enjoined:  which  was,  to  go 
to  the  cave,  where  he  would  find  his  bones  with 
the  bones  of  several  great  chiefs ;  he  was  to  take 
them  from  thence  and  convey  them  to  a  place  of 
safety,  out  of  the  reach  of  a  chief  Tereacoo,  (Ka- 
leioku)  who  would  come  the  next  day  with  a  party 
to  search  the  island  for  the  bones  of  the  king  and 
chiefs,  to  make  points  for  their  arrows  to  shoot 
rats  with,  (they  think  there  is  a  charm  in  human 
bones,  and  never  any  other  sort). 


Il6  SUPERSTITIOUS    BELIEF. 

The  next  day  according  to  the  prediction,  the 
chief  came  and  searched  the  island;  the  man 
told  him  that  as  the  island  and  all  that  was  on  it 
belonged  to  a  white  man  of  whom  Tameameah 
was  very  fond,  he  ought  not  to  come  there  to 
search  for  bones,  when  there  was  so  many  on  the 
main  island.  The  chief  took  no  notice,  but 
searched  and  took  several  bundles  of  bones  with 
him,  though  not  those  of  the  king  and  chiefs. 
Tereacoo  departed,  and  on  the  ensuing  night  the 
deceased  king  and  many  chiefs  appeared  to  the 
man,  and  thanked  him  for  what  he  had  done,  as- 
suring him  that  the  white  man  would  protect  him, 
and  that  he  should  one  day  become  a  great  man. 
Mr.  Manning  was  as  superstitious  as  the  natives, 
and  declared  he  had  heard  many  instances  of  a 
similar  nature.  Shortly  after  we  went  to  the 
sleeping-house  where  the  women  were.  Mr. 
Manning  went  out  to  walk  about ;  in  a  few  minutes 
he  returned  in  a  terrible  fright  and  perspiration. 
Seeing  him  look  so  wild,  I  asked  him  what  was 
the  matter;  when  he  got  more  composed,  he  told 
me,  very  seriously,  that  as  he  was  walking  by  the 
prickly  pear-trees,  saying  his  prayers  and  count- 
ing his  beads,  he  saw  the  Chief  Tereacoo,  who  had 
died  about  a  month  since,  walking  before  him, 
attended  by  a  number  of  people  dressed  in  the 
white  cloth  of  the  country.  I  laughed  heartily  at 
this  relation,  and  tried  to  persuade  him  it  was  all 
imagination;  but  he  still  persisted  in  having  seen 
the  spirits.  The  next  morning  I  went  round  the 
island,  which  seems  as  though  it  had  been  kept 
for  a  burial  place,  for  I  saw  hundreds  of  bundles 


TOUR    WITH    DON    MARIN.  117 

of  human  bones,  wrapped  carefully  up  in  cloth, 
and  laid  in  the  crevices  of  the  rocks.  We  then 
left  this  spot,  and  Mr.  Manning  had  the  king's 
bones  actually  conveyed  privately  to  his  own 
house,  where  he  still  keeps  them.  In  our  tour  we 
were  extremely  well  treated  by  the  natives,  each 
striving  who  should  be  most  attentive  in  bringing 
us  roasted  pigs,  dogs,  and  powee  (poi).  They 
roast  their  dogs  and  pigs  in  a  hole  in  the  ground 
with  heated  stones,  and  rolled  in  leaves  of  the 
plaintain-tree ;  when  cooked  in  this  manner,  their 
food,  whether  meat  or  fish,  is  delicious.  They 
prepare  the  powee  by  baking  the  tarrow  under 
ground  in  the  same  way,  and  when  thoroughly 
baked  they  beat  it  up  on  a  large  flat  stone,  mixing 
water  with  it  till  they  bring  it  to  the  consistency 
of  starch;  it  is  then  put  into  calabashes  and  will 
keep  for  one  or  two  months.  This  with  raw  fish 
is  their  favorite  food,  which  they  eat  with  their 
fingers,  dipping  them  into  the  calabash  and  suck- 
ing the  powee  off.  They  have  also  a  dish  with 
a  raw  fish  and  some  salt  and  water ;  they  dip  the 
fish  into  the  salt  and  water,  and,  sucking  it,  pass 
it  to  the  person  next  to  them,  and  so  on,  till  it  goes 
round  the  company,  consisting  sometimes  of  a 
dozen  persons.  They  are  very  fond  of  sea  weed, 
and  eat  it  with  salt;  shrimps,  crabs,  and  all  small 
fish  they  eat  raw ;  dogs  are  considered  a  great 
delicacy,  and  are  much  dearer  than  pigs;  a  num- 
ber of  Europeans  prefer  dog  to  pig,  declaring, 
that  it  is  by  far  the  most  delicate.  The  dogs  they 
eat  are  fed  entirely  on  roots,  and  never  allowed 
to  touch  meat.  Everyjplantation  we  stopped  at 


Il8  WELL    RECEIVED    THROUGHOUT. 

we  had  all  that  the  place  afforded ;  the  best  houses 
were  prepared  for  our  reception,  where  clean 
mats  and  tapas,  or  cloth  of  the  country,  were  laid 
for  us  to  sleep  on,  which  our  servants  took  with 
them,  being  their  perquisite.  About  the  end  of 
June  we  got  back  to  the  village  of  Honorora. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

Proceedings  of  a  Patriot  Ship  ;  fate  of  the  Mutineers 
of  the  Rosa;  execution  of  Mr.  Griffiths. — The 
Author  takes  the  Command  of  the  Brig. — They 
destroy  Monterey. —  Other  Proceedings  in  these 
Seas  briefly  noticed. — The  Author  returns  home. 

IN  September  the  ship  Levant,  Captain  Carey, 
of  Boston,  arrived  at  Honorora  from  the 
Columbia  River,  and  informed  us,  that  the 
Establishment  belonging"  to  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany was  to  be  given  up  to  the  Americans.  We 
put  the  remainder  of  our  wood  on  board  this  ship, 
and  by  the  end  of  September  were  nearly  ready 
to  leave  the  islands,  when  a  large  ship  called  the 
Argentina  touched  at  Owhyhee.  She  mounted 
forty-four  guns,  belonging  to  the  Independents  of 
South  America,  and  was  commanded  by  Don 
Hypolito  Bouchard,  a  Frenchman.  They  had 
taken  many  prizes,  but  none  of  any  value;  the 
crew  was  very  sickly,  scarcely  enough  out  of  260 
to  work  the  ship.  Captain  Bouchard  demanded 
the  ship  Santa  Rosa  and  crew  from  Tameameah, 
which  was  immediately  complied  with.  He  for- 
gave the  men  on  a  promise  that  they  would  behave 
better  in  future,  and  brought  both  ships  down  to 
Woahoo  to  refit.  On  their  arrival,  Captain  Bou- 
chard came  to  our  houses,  where  he  spent  most 


120  EXECUTION    OF    MR.    GRIFFITHS. 

of  his  time,  often  inviting  us  on  board.  He  took  a 
particular  fancy  to  me,  and  asked  me  to  command 
the  Santa  JRosa;  to  which  I  agreed,  and  in  Octo- 
ber, 1818,  entered  on  my  office.  We  sailed  for 
Atooi,  to  take  on  board  some  of  the  Santa  Rosa's 
mutineers,  who  had  been  left  there  by  the  brig, 
and  got  four  of  them,  but  could  not  find  Mr.  Grif- 
fiths. The  Commodore  being  determined  to  shoot 
him,  told  Tamooree  (Kaumualii),  that  if  the  man 
was  not  produced  he  would  destroy  the  fort  and 
set  fire  to  the  village.  Three  days  after  Griffiths 
was  sent  in  a  prisoner,  tried  by  a  court  martial, 
and  sentenced  to  be  shot,  having  but  two  hours  to 
make  his  peace  with  the  Almighty.  He  was 
brought  down  to  the  beach  (where  the  Patriot 
colours  were  displayed)  blindfolded,  and  shot  by 
four  marines,  belonging  to  the  Argentina.  Many 
hundred  of  the  natives  were  collected  to  witness 
the  execution.  The  corpse  was  buried  on  the 
beach  at  high-water-mark;  the  ships  then  made 
sail  for  Woahoo,  for  some  more  of  the  men  who 
had  run  away,  and  found  that  they  had  escaped 
to  Mowee ;  the  Commodore  being  determined  not 
to  leave  a  single  mutineer  on  the  islands,  proceed- 
ed thither  in  pursuit  of  them,  and  on  arriving 
learnt  that  they  had  gone  to  the  mountains.  Don 
Hypolito  then  hired  a  number  of  natives  to  pursue 
the  fugitives,  and  they  were  brought  on  board  in 
three  days.  They  were  tried  by  a  court  martial, 
one  was  sentenced  to  be  shot,  the  others  to  get 
twelve  dozen  lashes;  they  were  brought  on  deck, 
and  the  former  was  reprieved,  but  the  other  re- 
ceived the  punishment,  which  tore  his  back  in  a 


MOTLEY    PRIVATEER    CREWS.  121 

shocking-  manner.  The  ships  then  made  sail  for 
Woahoo,  where  we  took  on  board  a  supply  of 
hogs  and  vegetables  and  a  number  of  natives; 
and  on  the  2oth  of  October  we  took  our  final  leave 
of  those  friendly  natives,  bound  for  the  coast  of 
California,  to  cruise  against  the  Spaniards.  The 
ship  Santa  Rosa  was  American  built,  about  300 
tons  burthen;  mounting  eighteen  guns,  twelve 
and  eighteen  pounders;  with  a  compliment  of  100 
men,  thirty  of  whom  were  Sandwich  Islanders, 
the  remainder  where  composed  of  Americans, 
Spaniards,  Portuguese,  Creoles,  Negroes,  Mani- 
la men,  Malays,  and  a  few  Englishmen.  The 
Argentina  had  260  men,  fifty  of  whom  were  Isl- 
anders, the  remainder  a  mixed  crew,  nearly  simi- 
lar to  that  of  the  Santa  Rosa.  On  our  passage 
towards  California  we  were  employed  exercising 
the  great  guns,  and  putting-  the  ship  in  good  con- 
dition for  fighting1,  frequently  reading  the  articles 
of  war  which  are  very  strict,  and  punish  with 
death  almost  every  act  of  insubordination. 

After  g-etting-  a  supply  of  eggs,  oil,  etc.  from 
the  Russians,  we  made  sail  towards  the  bay  of 
Monterey.  The  Commodore  ordered  me  into 
the  bay,  and  to  anchor  in  a  good  position  for 
covering  the  landing,  while  he  would  keep  his 
ship  under  weigh,  and  send  his  boats  in  to  assist 
me.  Being  well  acquainted  with  the  bay  I  ran 
in  and  came  too  at  midnight,  under  the  fort;  the 
Spaniard  hailed  me  frequently  to  send  a  boat  on 
shore,  which  I  declined.  Before  morning  they 
had  the  battery  manned,  and  seemed  quite  busy. 
I  got  a  spring  on  the  cable,  and  at  daylight  opened 


122  ATTACK    ON    MONTEREY. 

a  fire  on  the  fort,  which  was  briskly  returned 
from  two  batteries.  Finding-  it  useless  to  fire  at 
the  batteries,  the  one  being  so  much  above  us  that 
our  shot  had  no  visible  effect,  the  Commodore 
came  in  with  his  boats,  and  we  landed  on  Point 
Pinos,  about  three  miles  to  the  westward  of  the 
fort;  and  before  the  Spaniards  had  time  to  bring 
their  field-pieces  to  attack  us,  we  were  on  our 
march  against  it.  We  halted  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill  where  it  stood  for  a  few  minutes,  beat  a  charge 
and  rushed  up,  the  Sandwich  Islanders  in  front 
with  pikes.  The  Spaniards  mounted  their  horses 
and  fled;  a  Sandwich  Islander  was  the  first  to 
haul  down  their  colours.  We  then  turned  the 
guns  on  the  town,  where  they  made  a  stand,  and 
after  firing  a  few  rounds,  the  Commodore  sent 
me  with  a  party  to  assault  the  place,  while  he  kept 
possession  of  the  fort.  As  we  approached  the 
town,  the  Spaniards  again  fled,  after  discharg- 
ing their  field-pieces,  and  we  entered  without  op- 
position. It  was  well  stocked  with  provisions  and 
goods  of  every  description,  which  we  commenced 
sending  on  board  the  Argentina.  The  Sandwich 
Islanders,  who  were  quite  naked  when  they  land- 
ed, were  soon  dressed  in  the  Spanish  fashion, 
and  all  the  sailors  were  employed  in  searching 
the  houses  for  money,  and  breaking  and  ruining 
every  thing.  We  took  several  Creole  prisoners, 
destroyed  all  the  guns  in  the  fort,  etc.  We  had 
three  of  our  men  killed  and  three  taken ;  next  day 
a  party  of  horsemen  came  in  sight,  to  whom  the 
Commodore  sent  a  flag  of  truce,  requiring  the 
governor  to  give  up  our  people  and  save  the  town. 


PLUNDERING     ALONG    THE    COAST.  123 

Three  days  were  granted  to  consider  this  propo- 
sal, and  on  the  third  day,  not  receiving  an  answer, 
he  ordered  the  town  to  be  fired,  after  which  we 
took  plenty  of  live  stock  on  board,  wood,  water, 
etc..  and  on  the  ist  day  of  December  got  under 
weigh  from  Monterey,  and  stood  along  the  coast 
to  the  southward. 

On  the  4th  we  made  a  village,  called  the  Ranch 
(near  Point  Conception)  where  we  intended  to 
call  for  provisions,  got  the  boats  all  ready,  landed 
a  party  without  opposition,  and  took  the  town,  all 
the  inhabitants  flying  on  our  approach.  The  men 
remained  all  night,  and  next  morning  the  place 
was  plundered.  About  noon  a  lieutenant  and  two 
seamen  having  strayed  a  short  distance  from  the 
town,  a  party  of  horsemen  rushed  on  them, 
threw  the  la's-aws  (lasso's)  over  their  heads  and 
dragged  them  up  a  neighboring  hill,  before  we 
could  render  them  any  assistance.  This  so  en- 
raged Captain  Bouchard,  that  he  ordered  the 
village  to  be  fired  instantly,  and  embarked  all  the 
men.  After  dark  we  again,  landed  a  party  well 
armed  to  try  and  surprise  the  Spaniards  and  make 
some  prisoners,  but  they  next  morning  embarked 
without  success.  We  then  weighed  and  made 
sail  along  shore  to  the  southward,  two  miles  from 
shore,  a  great  number  of  Spanish  troops  riding 
along  the  beach  at  whom  we  fired  several  shot. 
In  the  evening  of  the  8th  of  December,  we  were 
off  the  town  and  mission  of  St.  Barbara,  in  lati- 
tude 34°  36'  N.  and  longitude  119°  W. ;  it  falling 
calm  we  hoisted  the  boats  out  to  tow  the  ships  in- 
to the  bay,  where  we  anchored,  the  town  bearing 


124  A     DEFIANT     REPLY    AVENGED. 

N.  by  W.  one  mile,  seemingly  deserted.  We 
fired  a  gun  and  hoisted  the  colours  with  a  flag  of 
truce,  and  sent  a  boat  on  shore  to  say  if  they 
would  give  up  our  men  we  would  spare  the  town ; 
to  which  the  governor  agreed,  and  accordingly 
on  the  loth  we  got  our  companions  on  board, 
weighed  the  anchor  and  made  sail  to  the  south- 
ward. We  again  ran  into  a  snug  bay,  in  latitude 
33°  33'  N.,  where  we  anchored  under  the  flag  of 
truce.  The  bay  is  well  sheltered,  with  a  most 
beautiful  town  and  mission,  about  two  leagues 
from  the  beach.  The  Commodore  sent  his  boat 
on  shore,  to  say  if  they  would  give  us  an  imme- 
diate supply  of  provisions  we  would  spare  their 
town;  to  which  they  replied,  that  we  might  land 
if  we  pleased,  and  they  would  give  us  an  imme- 
diate supply  of  powder  and  shot.  The  Commo- 
dore was  very  much  incensed  at  this  answer,  and 
assembled  all  the  officers,  to  know  what  was  best 
to  be  done,  as  the  town  was  too  far  from  the 
beach  to  derive  any  benefit  from  it.  It  was, 
therefore,  agreed  to  land,  and  give  it  up  to  be 
pillaged  and  sacked. 

Next  morning,  before  daylight,  the  Commodore 
ordered  me  to  land  and  bring  him  a  sample  of  the 
powder  and  shot,  which  I  accordingly  did,  with 
a  party  of  140  men,  well  armed,  with  two  field- 
pieces.  On  our  landing,  a  party  of  horsemen 
came  down  and  fired  a  few  shot  at  us,  and  ran 
towards  the  town.  They  made  no  stand,  and  we 
soon  occupied  the  place.  After  breakfast  the 
people  commenced  plundering;  we  found  the 
town  well  stocked  with  every  thing  but  money 


RETURN    OF    THE    EXPEDITION.  125 

and  destroyed  much  wine  and  spirits,  and  all  the 
public  property;  set  fire  to  the  king's  stores, 
barracks,  and  governor's  house,  and  about  two 
o'clock  we  marched  back,  though  not  in  the  or- 
der we  went,  many  of  the  men  being  intoxicated, 
and  some  were  so  much  so,  that  we  had  to  lash 
them  on  the  field-pieces  and  drag  them  to  the 
beach,  where,  about  six  o'clock,  we  arrived  with 
the  loss  of  six  men.  Next  morning  we  punished 
about  twenty  men  for  getting  drunk. 

On  the  2$rd  of  December  we  saw  the  island  of 
Ceres,  and  hauled  up  for  the  east  end  of  the  isl- 
and ;  in  the  afternoon  we  were  boarded  by  some 
Russian  hunters  in  bodarkees,  assisted  by  about 
twenty  of  which  we,  at  daylight,  hoisted  the  boats 
out  and  towed  to  the  anchorage.  We  came  too 
on  the  S.  E.  side  of  the  island,  three  quarters  of 
a  mile  from  the  village :  the  Russians  were  land- 
ed here  by  an  American  brig  for  the  purpose  of 
hunting  the  sea  otter,  on  this  as  well  as  on  the 
other  islands  about  this  coast.  Their  village  con- 
sisted of  about  twenty  miserable  huts,  covered 
with  the  skins  of  the  sea  lion  and  elephant,  which 
are  very  plentiful.  English  and  American  ships 
frequently  call  here  to  fill  up  their  oil. 

We  had  a  party  on  shore  daily  hunting  the  deer, 
which  are  the  only  animals  on  the  island,  and 
killing  the  sea  lion  and  elephant  for  the  sake  of 
their  hearts  and  tongues,  which  we  found  very 
good.  While  we  lay  here  five  of  the  former 
mutineeers  took  the  first  whale  boat  in  the  night 
and  ran  away.  We  sent  the  launch  in  pursuit  of 
them,  but  it  returned  in  three  days,  without  having 


126  SEVERAL    OF    THE    CREW    POISONED. 

seen  them.     Captain  Bouchard  swore  if  he  caught 
them  he  would  immediately  shoot  them. 

January  i8th,  1819,  having  completed  our  wood 
and  water,  and  refitting-  the  ships,  we  got  under 
weigh,  intending  to  cruise  off  St.  Bias,  for  the 
Manila  ships. 

January  22nd,  we  saw  Cape  St.  Lucas,  E.  by  S. 
about  30  miles,  the  sea  all  round  was  covered  with 
turtles,  which  we  took  on  board  as  we  wanted 
them.  On  the  24th,  captured  and  scuttled  a  mer- 
chant brig. 

We  sent  a  party  on  shore  at  the  Tres  Marias  to 
wood  and  water.  We  found  a  root  resembling 
the  tarrow  of  the  Sandwich  Islands;  the  Island- 
ers cooked  some  of  it  in  the  island  fashion,  and 
immediately  after  they  had  eaten  of  it  their  bodies 
and  faces  became  swelled  and  bloated  in  a  terri- 
ble manner,  some  died  in  a  few  days,  and  others 
lingered  for  ten  days  in  the  greatest  agony.  The 
Commodore  lost  twelve  men  in  his  manner.  The 
Tres  Marias  are  covered  with  wood,  chiefly 
lignum-vitae ,  black  and  white  ebony,  hard  cedar, 
and  many  other  kinds.  There  are  plenty  of  par- 
rots, monkeys,  snakes,  guanas,  pigeons,  doves, 
etc. ,  and  abundance  of  fish.  We  continually  kept 
a  party  on  shore  hunting  and  fishing;  in  digging 
for  fresh  water  we  found  plenty  of  ore,  which  our 
prisoners  said  was  silver;  the  water  is  very  bad, 
and  brackish. 

On  the  9th,  of  July  we  made  the  harbour  of 
Valparaiso.  His  Majesty's  ships  Andromache 
and  Icarus  were  here,  with  all  Lord  Cochrane's 
squadron  fitting  out  for  Lima.  On  the  iyth,  the 


LEAVE   THE    SERVICE    FOR    HOME.  127 

Argentina  arrived  in  very  great  distress  for  pro- 
visions and  water;  she  had  buried  about  forty 
men;  the  ships  were  laid  up,  and  most  of  the 
crews  entered  on  board  the  Chilian  fleet. 

I  now  applied  to  Captain  Bouchard  for  my  pay 
and  prize-money,  and  told  him  I  was  heartily  sick 
of  the  service  of  the  Independents,  and  that  I 
intended  to  go  to  England  in  the  first  vessel  that 
sailed  for  that  country,  the  port  being  then  em- 
bargoed on  account  of  the  expedition  going 
against  Peru ;  he  replied  that  he  could  not  pay  me, 
unless  I  continued  in  the  service  and  took  the 
ship  to  Buenos  Ayres;  which  I  declined  doing, 
and  left  her  in  charge  of  Mr.  Woodburn,  the 
first  Lieutenant. 

Lord  Cochrane's  squadron  were  wretchedly 
manned;  they  send  parties  of  soldiers  up  the 
country  and  impress  the  countrymen  and  send 
them  on  board  the  fleet;  half  the  complement  of 
each  ship  is  composed  of  Chileno's  and  blacks; 
their  troops  are  chiefly  black. 

We  do  not  find  sufficient  interest  in  the  sequel 
of  these  adventures  to  render  it  advisable  to  give 
the  details,  and  shall  only  add,  that  the  writer  of 
this  journal,  Mr.  Corney,  arrived  in  London  on 
•  the  1 5th,  of  February,  1820,  after  an  absence  of 
nearly  seven  years,  full  of  vicissitudes. 


APPENDIX. 

NOTE:— In  the  year  1847,  Mr.  R.  C.  Wyllie,  who  was  for  many 
years,  the  Hawaiian  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  discovered  a 
number  of  letters  and  other  documents,  belonging  to  the  estate  of 
the  late  Don  Francisco  de  Paula  y  Marin,  in  a  house  in  the  old 
fort. 

Most  of  them  were  filed  in  the  Government  archives,  and  are 
still  in  existence,  although  unfortunately  Don  Marin's  diary  has 
been  lost.  Among  them  are  the  following  letters  from  Capt. 
Bouchard  of  the  frigate  ''Argentina,"  addressed  to  Don  Tuan  de 
Elliot  y  Castro  and  Don  Marin,  as  well  as  his  instructions  from  the 
Provisional  government  of  Buenos  Ayres. 


THE   BOUCHARD    LETTERS. 

(TRANSLATION.) 

I.     The  Sovereign  Congress  of  the  United  Provinces 
of  Rio  d*e  La  Plata. 

Information  having  reached  this  Government  of  the 
scandalous  conduct  of  the  crew  of  the  corvette  called 
"Santa  Rosa,"  Don  Hipolito  de  Bouchard,  sergeant 
major  of  the  navy  of  this  state,  and  commander  of  the 
war  frigate  "Argentina,"  has  been  duly  authorized  and 
invested  with  power  to  proceed  over  the  same  route 
hitherto  cruised  by  said  vessel,  and  wherever  the  said 
ship  may  be  found  with  all  belonging  to  it,  to  seize 
it  or  reclaim  it  from  any  government,  as  also  any 
member  of  the  crew.  We  request  any  government  or 
state,  in  such  case,  to  deliver  it  up  to  said  commander; 
that  all  the  effects  of  said  vessel  be  delivered  with  the 


13°  APPENDIX. 

armament,  ammunition  and  stores  belonging  to  it;  to 
which  we  sign  and  seal  with  the  coat  of  arms  of  this 
state,  27th,  of  April  1818. 

DR.  FRANCISCO  SANS,  .  President. 

JUAN  JOSE  PASO.     Vocal. 
DR.  DON  PEDRO  ELIAS,  Secretary, 
(and   seven  others). 


II.  I  have  just  received  at  this  date  the  excellent 
order  of  His  Majesty  in  which  he  states  the  following: — 
That  H.  M.  has  been  pleased  to  order  that  the  pilot 
deliver  to  me  every  thing  belonging  to  the  corvette 
"Santa  Rosa,"  and  at  the  same  time  that  he  deliver  to 
the  bearer  six  barrels  for  vegetables,  *  *  *  the  con- 
sumption said  men  ****.*  * 

For  the  compliment  in  which  I  most  heartily  thank 
His  Majesty,  as  I  do  you,  for  the  unbounded  kindness 
you  have  manifested  in  providing  for  the  ships  belong- 
ing to  the  United  Provinces  of  Rio  de  La  Plata. 

I  communicate  to  you  how  we  are  situated  here,  in 
the  same  state  as  before  your  departure,  (for  I  have 
been  in  your  confidence),  which  would  not  permit  our 
coming  to  Kavacacao  (Kawaiakekua?)  for  you  must  be 
aware  of  the  great  loss  to  my  expedition,  and  the  great 
consumption  of  provisions  and  water,  without  the 
slightest  remuneration,  but  withal  sustaining  a  great 
loss. 

The  individual  to  whom  His  Majesty  has  been 
pleased  to  assign  the  delivery  of  the  sweet  potatoes,  not 
having  received  the  barrels,  which  were  all  in  use,  was 
given  a  basket  which  measured  the  same  quantity,  in 
order  that  he  might  deliver  what  had  been  ordered, 
but  has  refused  to  receive  it,  and  says  that  he  will  re- 


THE     BOUCHARD    LETTERS.  13! 

turn  thus  from  Kayroa;  all  of  which  I  communicate  to 
you  for  your  information. 

May  God  preserve  you  many  years. 
"Argentina,"  30th  Aug.,  1818. 

HIPOLITO  BOUCHARD. 
SR.    DON   DE    ELIOT   Y   CASTRO. 

Sec.    of   H.    M. 


III.  Because  of  the  difficulties  which  may  arise  in  re- 
gard to  the  vessels  belonging  to  the  United  Provinces 
of  Rio  de  La  Plata,  e.  g.  mutinies,  escapes,  etc,  as 
happened  formerly  in  the  case  of  the  corvette  "Santa 
Rosa,"  I  authorize  in  the  name  of  the  nation  of  the 
United  Provinces  of  Rio  de  La  Plata,  King  Kameha- 
meha  to  proceed  as  follows  with  any  ship  taking  refuge 
within  his  dominions: — to  hold  the  vessel  with  all  its 
effects  and  crew,  to  deprive  them  of  all  means  of 
communication,  to  take  down  the  testimony  of  all  the 
crew,  examining  its  papers  which  should  contain  the 
number  of  the  patents;  taking  note  of  the  number  of  men 
comprising  the  crew,  as  also  of  its  orders  and  its  pri- 
vate instructions;  for  in  these  will  be  found  whether  the 
vessel  has  been  duly  commissioned:  should  it  not 
possess  these  documents,  and  should  it  be  armed  for 
war,  or  have  plunder  on  board,  it  will  be  suspicious, 
and  must  be  held  with  all  its  effects  and  crew  until  due 
notice  be  given  to  the  Government;  observing  to  regard 
and  care  for  said  vessel  until  the  resolution  taken  by 
the  Government  of  Buenos  Ayres  near  (por)  the  coasts 
of  Chili  (be  received.) 

His  Majesty  Tameamea  (Kamehameha)  is  requested 
to  observe  the  utmost  punctuality  and  order  in  these 
cases.  This  authority  being  given  by  Senor  Don  Hipo- 


132  APPENDIX. 

lito  Bouchard,  Commander  of  the  frigate  "Argentina, 
6th,  of  Sept.,  1818. 

HIPOLITO  BOUCHARD. 
Senor  Don  Francisco  de  Paula  y  Marin. 


IV.     Dear  Sir:— 

I  have  had  the  misfortune  not  to  find  the  brig- 
antine  of  which  I  was  in  search,  and  have  found  only 
four  of  the  seamen,  among  them  the  chief  of  the 
mutiny  from  aboard  the  "Santa  Rosa;"  who,  for  his 
crime  has  gone  to  give  account  to  the  Almighty.  I 
have  aboard  a  sailor  who  had  come  from  Oahu  with 
Capt.  Cary.  I  request  you  on  receipt  of  this  letter,  if 
the  men  who  escaped  have  been  found,  to  send  them 
to  me  immediately,  as  also  some  provisions,  as  potatoes, 
taros,  and  pork.  You  will  kindly  make  out  the  full 
account  in  order  that  it  may  be  settled;  for  it  seems  to 
me  that  I  have  not  paid  for  the  three  casks  of  sweet 
potatoes  which  I  have  received  from  you,  and  for 
which  I  will  settle  on  my  arrival.  I  send  you  the  cask 
which  you  loaned  me  for  measuring  the  brandy,  and 
about  which  I  had  forgotten. 

Remember  me  to  Captain  Ebbitt  and  to  Capt.  Davis; 
have  the  kindness  to  give  my  best  wishes  to  Governor 
Boki,  and  ask  him  to  send  me  six  pieces  of  timber  for 
(canones?),  the  same  as  those  of  which  I  spoke  to  you 
before  my  departure;  and  should  he  deliver  them,  send 
the  bill  that  I  may  settle  it:  all  of  which  I  shall  esteem 
a  favor  from  you  as  well  as  from  the  Governor;  also 
send  some  hogs,  if  they  can  be  obtained. 

May  God  keep  you  many  and  happy  years. 
"Argentina,"  8th  October,  1818. 

HIPOLITO  BOUCHARD. 
Senor  Don  Francisco  de  Paula  y  Marin. 


THE  BOUCHARD  LETTERS.         133 

V.     My  dear  Sir:— 

My  present  need  compels  me  to  trouble  you 
for  your  attention  to  matters  which  no  one  can  settle 
better  than  you;  owing  to  your  acquaintance  with  these 
places,  and  your  proficiency  in  the  language. 

My  friend,  it  appears  that  the  King  and  his  Secre- 
tary have  taken  advantage  of  the  kindness  of  Mr. — 
an  honorable  man,  in  regard  to  the  wood  which  he  has 
given  me  in  payment  for  44  bales  of  fine  goods  and  six 
bolts  of  silks.  It  appears  that  the  American  Captains 
do  not  wish  to  take  the  sandal  wood  which  his-Majesty 
has  given  me  in  payment  for  said  goods,  ;md  I  find 
myself  compelled  to  appeal  to  the  Governor,  so  that 
through  your  intercession  be  made  clear  the  bargain 
for  the  sandal-wood,  which  the  American  Captains 
will  not  accept:  he  (Governor)  may  take  the  matter  in 
hand  and  give  you,  from  the  lot  belonging  to  the  King, 
the  quantity  to  replace  that  which  was  not  genuine,' 
this  affair  troubles  me  daily,  and  I  cannot  wait  longer 
than  day  after  tomorrow,  and  you  may  see  the  best 
way  to  settle  it. 

You  must  be  aware  that  two  armed  ships,  contain- 
ing their  crews  of  290  men,  are  very  expensive,  and 
cost  upwards  of  $150  daily;  so  if  the  King  has  deceived 
him  (Mr. )  giving  me  fire-wood  instead  of  sandal- 
wood,  charging  me  $10.00  a  picul,  I  shall  in  conse- 
quence charge  him  with  all  the  expenses  of  my  vessels 
during  the  time  this  business  detains  me,  and  hold  the 
King  responsible  for  them. 

I  request  you  as  a  man  who  understands  these 
matters,  to  interview  the  Governor,  making  clear  to 
him  the  cause  of  my  complaints,  and  have  him  imme- 
diately replace  the  sandal-wood  which  was  not  genuine, 
delivering  it  to  the  Captain  of  the  Frigate  "Sultana, 


134  APPENDIX. 

Mr.  Caleb  Reynolds,  which  is  all  I  have  to  request  of 
the  Governor  at  present. 

May  God  keep  you  many  and  happy  years. 
"Argentina,"  Sept.  2nd,  18^. 

HIPOLITO  BOUCHARD. 

There  is  another  letter  in  the  collection,  from  Capt. 
Bouchard  to  Don  Marin,  dated  Dec.  20,  1M9  at  Val- 
paraiso, inquiring  about  a  brig,  the  crew  of  which  were 
supposed  to  have  run  away  with  it. 


THE    BOUCHARD    LETTERS. 

(ORIGINALS.) 

I.     El  Soberano  Congreso  De  Las  Provincias  Unidas 

Del  Rio  De  La  Plata. 

Habiendo  llegado  a  noticiadesta  soberania  el  escan- 
daloso  exceso  de  la  tripulacion  de  la  corveta  nombrada 
Santa  Rosa,  se  ha  expedido  poder  al  sarjento  mayor 
de  la  marina  de  este  Estado,  y  comandante  de  la  fra- 
gata  Argentina  de  guerra,  Don  Hipolito  de  Buchard: 
y  para  que  corra  por  donde  dicha  corveta  cruzaba:  y 
para  que  con  todo  en  cualesquiera  destine  que  sea 
hallado  este  buque  queda  apresarlo  6  reclamarlo  d 
cualquiera  Gobierno,  y  en  seguida  cualesqniera  indivi- 
duo  de  su  tripulacion.  Se  suplica,  d  cualquiera  gobier- 
no  6  estado,  se  digne,  en  tal  caso,  exederlo  a  dicho 
comandante.  Se  exedan  todos  los  intereses  de  dicho 
buque,  armamento,  municion  y  armamento  que  corres' 
pondan.  Para  lo  cual  lo  firmamos  y  sellamos  con  las 
armas  de  este  Estado  a  27  del  mes  de  Abril  del  ano 
de  mil  ochocientos  diez  y  ocho. 

Dr.  Francisco  Sans,  Presidente. 

Juan  Jose  Paso,  Vocal. 
Dr.  Don  Pedro  Elias,  Segretario. 
(and  seven  otheri). 


THE     BOUCHARD    LETTERS.  135 

II.  Con  esta  fecha  acabo  de  recibir  la  superior  orden 
de  su  Magestad  donde  il  me  expone  lo  siguiente;  que 
Su  Magestad  se  ha  dignado  ordenar  al  piloto  que  se 
me  entrege  todo  aquello  que  fuese  perteneciente  a  la 
corveta  Santa  Rosa,  y  al  mismo  tiernpo,  que  al  porta- 
dor  se  le  entrege  seis  barriles  para  los  vegetales,  con- 
sumo  que  dicho  hombre  *  *  *  * 

Para  su  complimiento  en  lo  que  doy  infinitas  gracias 
i  Su  Magestad  y  a  Usted  por  consiguente  por  la 
immensa  bondad  que  Usted  usa  para  el  auxilio  de  los 
buques  de  las  Provincias  Unidas  del  Rio  de  la  Plata. 
Comunico  a  Umd.  como  estamos  aqui  en  el  mismo 
ser  que  antes  de  irse  Usted  pues  yo  he  estado  en  la 
confianza  de  Usted,  no  dejaria  de  venir  d  esta  Kawa- 
cacao  (Kawaiakekua),  pues  no  debe  Usted  ignorar  el 
atraso  de  mi  expedition,  el  gran  consumo  de  viveres,  y 
aguada  sin  la  menor  utilidad,  si  no  con  todo  un  gran 
atraso. 

El  individuo  que  Su  Magestad  se  ha  dignado  desti- 
nar  para  entregar  las  batatas,  no  habiendo  podido 
absolutamente  dar  se  le  los  barriles  por  tenerlos  todos 
ocupados,  se  le  did  una  canasta  que  podia  hacer  la 
misma  cuantidad  para  que  por  el  entregara  lo  que  se 
habia  ordenado,  el  que  n^  ha  querido  recibir  y  me 
dice  que  se  vuelve  .-»si  de  Kayroa. 

Lo  cual  comunico  a  Usted  para  su  inteligencia. 

Dios  guarde  d  Usted  muchos  anos.  "Argentina,"  30 
de  Agosto  de  1313.  Hipolito  Bouchard. 

Senor  Don  Juan   de    Eliot  y  Castro, 

Secretario  de  Su   Magestad. 


III.      Por  los  inconvenientea  que   pueden  suceder,  res. 
peto  4  los  buques  de  las  Provincias  Unidas  del  Rio  de 


136  APPENDIX. 

la  Plata,  e.  g.  fugas,  levantamientos,  al  caso  sucedido 
anteriormente  con  la  Corveta  Santa  Rosa,  doy  facultad, 
en  nombre  de  la  Nacion  de  las  Provincias  Unidas  del 
Rio  de  la  Plata,  al  Rey  Tameamea  (Kamehameha), 
que  cualesquiera  buque  que  se  refugiase  bajo  su 
dominio  tome  las  providencias  siguientes;  de  tener  el 
buque  con  todo  sus  intereses  y  la  gente,  ponerlas  en- 
comunicables,  informa  una  sumaria  y  tomando  las 
declaraciones  de  toda  la  tripulacion,  y  visitando  sus 
papeles  que  deben  contener  o  el  numero  de  las  paten- 
tes  ;  notando  en  ellas  la  cuantidad  de  hombres  que 
contiene  la  tripulacion  ;  se  pase  ordenanza  y  sus  in- 
struciones  secretas,  que  en  ellas  se  conocera  si  el 
buque  estd  despedido  en  orden,  y  si  acaso  no  tuviese 
estos  documentos  el  buque  serd  sospechoso  si  fuere 
armado  en  guerra  y  si  fuese  cualesquiera  presa  deten- 
gase  el  buque  sus  intereses  y  su  tripulacion  hasta  la 
parte,  al  Gobierno,  con  el  bien  entendido  respectar  y 
cuidar  los  intereses  que  en  dicho  buque  se  refugiasen 
en  estos  dominios,  hasta  la  resolucion  del  Gobierno  de 
B.  Ayres  por  las  costas  de  Chile.  Se  suplica  a  su 
Magestad  Tameamea  la  mayor  puntualidad  y  orden  en 
estos  casos.  Dado  este  poder  por  el  Senor  Don  Hipo- 
lito  Bouchard,  Comandante  de  la  Fragata  Argentina 
d  6  dias  del  mes  de  Setiembre  de  1818. 

Hipaulito  Bouchard. 
Senor  Don  Francisco  de   Paula  y  Marin. 


IV.  Muy  Senor  mio:  he  tenido  la  desgracia  de  no 
encontrar  el  bergantin  que  iba  a  buscar,  y  solamente  he 
encontrado  cuatro  de  los  marineros  de  dicho  buque,  y 
entre  ellos  al  cabeza  principal  del  motin,  de  abordo  de 
la  Santa  Rosa,  el  cual  por  su  delito  ha  ido  a  dar  cuenU 


THE  BOUCHARD  LETTERS.          137 

al  todo  poderoso,  y  un  marinero  que  habia  venido  de 
Waooh  (Oahu),  con  el  Capitan  Kery  (Gary),  lo  tengo 
abordo.  Suplico  &  Usted  que  al  recibir  esta  si  se  hallan 
los  tales  hombres  que  fugaron,  me  los  empresta  en  el 
momento,  y  lo  mismo  con  algunas  provisiones,  como 
batatas,  taros  y  chancho.  Y  Vm.  formerd  la  cuenta  de 
todo  para  satisfacer  su  importe  lo  mismo:  que  me  parece 
no  he  pagado  las  tres  barricas  de  batatas  que  he  tornado 
de  Vmd,  que  sa  satisfacere  a  mi  llegada,  Remito  al 
Vmd.  la  barrica  que  Vmd,  me  empresto  para  medir  e, 
aguardiente  que  se  me  habia  olvidado.  Expresiones  al 
Capitan  Evict  (Ebbitt)  y  al  Capitan  Devis  (Davis),  de 
mi  parte.  Tenga  Nmd,  la  molestia  de  dar  muchas 
memorias  al  Gobernador  M.  Poquit  (Boki)  y  suplicarle 
Vmd,  de  mi  parte  que  me  mande  seis  piezas  de  madera 
para  canones  como  habia  hablado  a  Vmd  antes  de  mi 
salida,  y  si  acaso  los  libra,  mandeme  Vmd  la  cuenta 
para  satisfacer  su  importe,  que  merecer^  de  Vmd  y  del 
Gobernador  lo  mismo.  Y  algunos  chanchos  si  se 
pueden  consequir  en  el  momento.  Dios  guarde  £ 
Vmd  muchos  y  felices  anos. 

Hipaulito    Bouchard. 
"Argentina,"  8  de  Octubre  de  1818. 
Srnor  Don  Francisco  de  Paula  y  Marin. 


V.  M.  S.  M.  la  necesidad  en  que  me  hallo  me  obliga 
&  molestar  la  atencion  de  Vmd.  sobre  cosas  que  nadie 
mas  que  Vmd  puede  hacer  transar  (transigir)?  nuestras 
dificultades  por  el  gran  conocimiento  que  Vmd  tiene 
en  estos  lugares,  y  la  perfeccion  que  Vmd  tiene  para  el 
idioma.  Amigo,  parece  que  el  Rey  y  su  secretario  han 
engaftado  la  bondad  de — hombrede  bien,  sobre  el  palo 
que  me  ha  dado  en  pago  de  44  fardos  de  generos  finos 
y  seis  bultes  de  sederias. 


138  APPENDIX. 

Segun  parece  los  SS  Capitanes  Americanos  no 
quieren  tomar  el  sangilut  que  Su  Magestad  me  ha 
dado  en  pago  de  dichos  efeclos,  y  yo  me  veo 
precisado  de  Oluxxia  al  S.  Gobernador  para  que 
con  la  persona  de  Vmd  le  haga  rntender  el  tiato  del 
sangilut,  que  no  quieren  tomar  los  Americanos,  61  se 
puede  hacer  cargo,  y  darle  la  cantidad  que  fuese  mala 
de  la  que  pertence  al  Rey:  para  mi  todos  los  dias  me  es 
un  dafio  terrible,  y  no  puedo  detenerme  mas  que  hasta 
pasado  mafiana,  y  Vmd.  vea  el  mejor  modo  para  este. 
Vmd.  no  ignora  que  con  dos  buques  armad  s  que  con- 
tienen  sus  tripulaciones  de  290  hombres,  los  gastos 
son  de  una  gran  consideracion,  y  suben  d  mas  de 
ciente  cinquenta  pesos  diarioSj  y  si  el  Reye  ha  enganado 
su  buena  ie,  dandome  lena  de  quemar  por  sanguilut, 
cargandome  a  diez  pesos  el  pico  en  consequencia  de 
esto,  todos  los  dias  que  me  detenge  este  negocio, 
cargar6  los  gastos  que  hago  abordo  de  mis  dos  buques, 
para  que  el  Rey  me  sea  responsable  de  ellos. 

Suplicola  bondad  de  Vmd.  como  hombre  que  entiende 
estos  negocios,  se  aproxime  al  Gobernador,  haciendo 
entender  mis  quejas  y  que  determine  en  la  hora  misma 
de  remplagar  el  sangilut  que  no  fuese  bueno,  entre- 
gandolo  al  Capitan  de  la  Fragata  Sultano,  Don  Caleb 
Reynolds,  que  es  la  unica  cosa  que  suplicar£  la  e"d 
bondad  del  Sefior  Gobernador  y  en  este  caso.  Dios 
guarde  a  Vmd  muchos  y  felices  anos. 

Hipaulito    Bouchard. 
''Argentina,"  Setiembre  2  de  1818. 


INDKX. 


Adams,  Capt.,  71. 

Point,  57,  6i>,  79a. 
Aikanes,  48,  87,  101. 
Alexander,  Am.  brig,  76. 
Albatross,  Am.  ship,  68,  71. 
Aleutian   Islands,    14,    29,   46, 

52,  54. 
American  Colony  project,  5. 

continent,    rapid    peopling 
of,  6. 

government,  object  of  the  3. 

fleet  of  traders,  46. 
Americans,  plan  of,  5. 
Amusements  of  Hawaiians,  106. 
Anderson,  Peter,  7,  49. 
Andromache,  H.  M.  ship,   126. 
Animals,  variety  of,  68-9. 
Appendix — Bouchard     Letters, 

128-38. 

Area  of  trading  territory,  3,  4. 
Argentina,  Patriot  ship,  119. 

her  motley  crew,  121. 

attack  on  Monterey,  122, 

and  along  the  coast,   123- 
126 

arrival  at  Valparaiso,  127. 
Ashton,  Jos.,  goes  insane,  41. 
Astor,  John  Jacob,  7,  8,  13,  15. 
Atkins,  (Col.)  expedition,  3. 
Attack  on  Monterey,  122. 
Attempt   (second)   to   settle  on 

the  Columbia,  13. 
Awa.  104-5. 
Ayers,  Capt.,  68. 

Baker's  Bay,  25,  57,  58. 
Baranoff,  Governor,  29,  30,  34, 

37, 

Barber's  Point,   100. 
Beaver    (The),  Astor's    second 

ship,  13,  14. 
Bethune,  Mr.,  28,  38,  49. 


Bird  Island,  73. 

Blacksmith  of  the  Tonquin,  9, 

11,  12. 

Black  whale,  52,  54. 
Boatswain  of  Forester  shot,  40. 
Bodago,  75a. 

Bay,  81,  harbor,  82. 
Bodaree  and  Bodarkee,  or  skin 

boats,  29,  50,  53,  54. 
Bold,  93. 

Bordeaux  Packet,  brig,  83a. 
Bouchard    Hypolito,  arrival  of, 

at  Hawaii,  119. 
demands  the  Santa  Rosa, 

119. 

letters,  130-38. 
orders  Griffith  shot,  120. 
plundering  along  the  Coast, 

123-26. 

Brazil  Coast,  20. 
British-Canadian  companies,  4. 
Brutus,  Am.  brig,  73. 

Calpo,  chief,  58. 
Canadian  lakes,  4. 
Canadians,  80a. 
Canoe  fur  fleet,  47,  55. 

voyages,  53. 
Carpenter,  John,  77a,  78a,  79a, 

83a. 

Cape  Disappointment,    14,    19, 
24,  25,  57,  58. 

Edgecomb,  75. 

Frio,  20. 

Horn,  20,  22. 

Mendocino,  81. 

Orford,  24,  77-78. 

St.  Lucas,  11,  126. 

St.  Vincent,  22. 
Casakas,  or  Cassacas,  and  Se- 

lechel,  27,  65. 
Cattle  shooting  restricted,  109. 


II 


INDEX. 


Ceremonies   at    death    of    high 

chief,  87. 

Chatham  Straits  natives,  74. 
Cherub,  11.  M.  Ship,  17,  41. 
Chickeloes,  58,  Gu. 
Chiefs  bones,  87,   ]  15,  117. 
Chinese  fishing  boats,  36. 
Chinook  Indians,  27,  31,  01. 
mode  of  burial,  64. 
point,  58,  village,  58,  59. 
women,   description  of,  (j3. 
Circumcision,  rite  of,  observed, 

67. 
Cladsaps,  66,  77a. 

mission  to,  78a. 
Classet,  58. 

Climate  of  the  Columbia,  67. 
Columbia  river,  3,  8,  24,  47,  77a. 
bar,  8.  42. 

establishment,  7,  14,  16,  18. 
settlement,  13. 

Columbia,  schr.,  19,  28,  29,  31, 
2,  34.  35,  37,  41,42,  43, 
45,  47,  48,  49,  55,  69,  73, 
76,  77,  S2a,  84,  84a,  88, 
89,  90. 

Comley,  or  Com  Comley,  King, 
27,  31,  42,  58,  65,  66,  68. 
Conception  Point,   123. 
Cook's,  (Capt. ),  crew  introduced 

disease,   105. 
harbor,   50. 
straits,  51. 

Customs    of    civilized    nations 
imitated  in   i  l.avv'n  Is.  2. 
of  Hawaiians,  103. 
of  Indians,  39,  74. 

Death  ceremonies  of  Hawaiians 

87. 
Directions    entering    Columbia 

river,  57. 
Distilling,   106,  first  introduced 

in  Hawaii,  107 

Dodd,  James,  lost  overboard,  50. 
Drunkenness,  81a. 

Ebbets,  Mr.,  40 

Edgecombe,   Cape  and  Mount, 

75. 
English  flag  rarely  seen,   1. 


Falkland  Islands,  20. 
Fatal  Catastrophe,   10. 
Fence  of  human  bones,   115. 
Fishing,  Hawaiian  methods  of, 
111-114. 

party,  a  large,  111. 
Fish  catching  by  poison.   114 
Forester,    brig,  "38,    39,  40,  71. 
Fort  George,  27,  55. 
Fort  at  Oahu,  2,  71.  98. 

Mont-r^y,  44. 

Waimea,  Kauai,  88. 
Furs,  chief  d-pot  for,  52. 
Fur  Seal  curing,  51. 
Fur  trade,  The.  2,   4,  5,  16. 

activity  and   enterprise,    4. 

Qallipagos  Islands,  94. 
Gambling,    prevalence  of,    106. 
Goat  Isl-.nd,  21. 
Governor   Baranoff,  29,  30,  34. 

Kutscoff,  34,  82. 

of  Monterey,  32,  33. 
Greek  Church  converts,  52. 
Griffiths,  mutineer.   94,   arrives 
at  Hawaii,  95,    executed 
at  Kauai,   120. 

Hallibut  Island,   50. 
Hawaiian    house    building,    91. 

produce,  69,  108,  109. 
Hawaii,  arrival  at  35,  39,  47,  69, 

82«. 
Hawaiians  attachment  to  their 

chiefs,   105. 
Hawaiian  superstition,  104. 

women  described;   110. 
llarbottle,  John  48,  71,  96. 
Harbor  dues  and  pilotage,  ori- 
gin of.  96. 

Heavy  cape  Horn  weather,  22. 
Hikanees — see  Aikams. 
Honolulu.  71,  90,96,  99, 
Human    bones,    fence    of,    115. 
1  lunt's  ( Mr.)  Overland  party  13. 

Commands  the  Pedlar,  46. 
Icarius,  II.  M.  ship,  126. 
Indians'  aversion  to    work,    67- 

customs,    habit  and    dress, 
53,  61,  74. 

hostile  intentions,  10. 


INDEX. 


Ill 


Indians   of  Kodiac  and    Oona- 
laska,  30,  50. 
savage   tribes   of,  76a,   81, 

weapons,  79. 
Indian  tribes,  3,  designs  on  the 

Beaver  14. 

manners  and  customs,  59, 
religious  ideas,  07. 
massacre  of  the  Tonquin's 

crew,  11. 

prisoners  executed,  42. 
tribal  war  averted,  00 
villages,  27,  34,  58,  59,  70a 

78, 
Inglis,  Ellice  &  Co.  19. 

Isaac    Todd,    ship,    17,  18,   27, 
31,  41. 

deserters  from,  43,  40, 
Isabella,  Am.  ship,  ^0. 

Jameson,  Jno  death  of  22. 
Jennings    Captn.     38,     trouble 

with  crew.  39. 
shoots   the   boatswain,  40, 

52,  81. 
visits  the  King  83a.    signs 

agreement  of  sale,   84a. 
gives   ship  upto  the   King, 

92. 

returns  from  Hawaii,  95. 
I  uan  I  ernandes,  94. 

Kaahuaianu,  queen,  10. 

brig,  ioaamg  for  China  71. 

at  .  .unoluiu,  90. 
Kalaimoku,  83a,  84a.  90. 
Kailua,  35,  39.  47,  09,  83a. 
Kaleioku,   death  of,  80. 

ceremonies,    87. 

spirit  visitation,    110. 
Kalo  cultivation  108. 
KamahaioUni,  88. 
Kamamalu,  47. 

Kamchameha,  King  of  Hawaii 
10. 

advised  of  the  Santa  Rosa 
piracy,  95. 

begins  the  niakahiki  fesivi- 
ties,  101. 

boards   the   Columbia,   47. 

buys    the  Santa   Rosa.   92. 


Kamehameha,    clears    ship    of 

natives,  85. 

defers  purchase  of  the  Co- 
lumbia, 83a. 
establishes    harbour    dues, 

etc.  90 

high  priest,  103. 
orders  Russians  to  leave,  72. 
orders   ship   to    Kai.ai    for 

sandal-wood,  88. 
personal    appearance,     35. 
protects    Captn.    Jennings, 

40. 

receives  oyster  dredge,  100. 
restricts  cattle  shooting,  109 
welcomes  the  Columbia's 

return,  09. 
|   Kapa  making,  105, 
I   Kapu,  30,  80,  100, 

Kauai,  4i),  88. 
!   Kaumualii,  King  of  Kauai,  49, 

88,  89,  120. 
Kawaiahae  bay,  82a. 
Kealakekua,  39,  41. 
Keeaumoku,  chief  of  Maui,  10, 

102,  112 
Keith  Mr.  77a. 
Kenopoo,  48,  70. 
Kings  (The)  taxes,  80. 
Kodiac  29. 

and     Oonalaska      Indians, 

30,  52. 
Kuwahine  112. 

Lark,  ship  dismasted  at  sea,  15. 
Lahaina,  visit  to,  70. 
Lapham,    Lewis    death    of,   50. 
Laurel,   li.  M,  ship  20,  wrecked 

on  Kahoolawe,   10. 
Lehina  (Lahaina)  Roads  8(i. 
Levant,  ship,  119. 
Lewis  and    Clark's  journey,   5. 
Liddy,  Am,  schr.  40. 
Liholiho,  Prince,  47,  85. 
Little,  Joseph,  rescued,  19. 
Loss  of  boat's  crew,  8,  9. 

Machal  Mr.  15. 

Makahiki  festival  82a,  83a,  101, 

102 
Mandarin,  Grand,  49. 


IV 


INDEX. 


Manini(  Manning)  or  Don  Marin 
48,99,107,  109,  114,  115, 
116,  117. 

Massacre  of  L'onquin's  crew,  11. 
Maui,  touch  at,  70. 
Mercury,  ship,  68. 
Me.  Donald,   mutineer,  94,  9o. 
Me.  Dougal,  governor,  8,  10,  12, 
18. 

Mr.  32,  33,  84,  35,  36,  49. 
Me.  Kay,  or  Me    Kie,  Mr.    10. 
Me.  Kenzie,  Mr.  55. 
Me.  Lennan,  Mr.  28,  49. 
Me.  Tavish,  Donald  17,  18,  19, 
31. 

Fraser  &  Co.  17,  fit  out  the 

Columbia,  19. 
Me.  Tavish,  James,  28. 

Jno.  Geo.  governor,  27. 
Mexico,  Viceroy  of,  33. 
Millwood,  Am.  schr.  47. 
Mission  of  Caimel,  44. 

of  Santa  Cruz,  44. 
Moffitt,  Mr.  8,  JO. 
Monterey,  17,  32,  43. 

description  and  population, 
44. 

pillaged,   122. 
Morai,  83a,  101 

Murderous  Indian  assault,  42. 
Mutineers  delivered  to  the  fort, 
27 

of  the  Santa  Rosa,  94,  120. 
Mutinous  plot  frustrated,  23. 
Myrtle,  Rus.   ship,   condemned 
83*. 

Nations  in  the  fur  trade,  4. 
New  Albion,  76. 

Russian  settlement  on,  82. 
Trading  with    Indians   of, 

77. 
Norfolk  Sound,   14,  29,  31,  46, 

73,  79a,  83,  89. 
Northwest  Company,  27,  28,  55 

79a,  80a,  81a,  119. 
of  Canada,  17,  18. 
Russian,  28. 

Oahu  Battery  or  fort  2,  71,  dea- 
cription  of,  98. 


Oahu,  Island  of,  96. 

tide  flow.  114. 

G'  Cain  or  O'Kcan,  ship,  46. 
Oonalaska,  50,  51,  52. 

habits  and  dress  of  Indians, 
53. 

Indians,  skillful  hunters,  54 
Ormsby  Peak,  50. 
Owhyhee-see   Hawaii. 

Pacific  Ocean,  3,  4.  5,  shores  6. 
Packet,  Am.  ship,  29. 
Paleioholani,  King,  115. 
Pearl  Oyster  industry,  100. 
Pearl  River,  115. 
Pearl  water  Inlet,  99. 
Pedlar,  Am.  brig  18,  40. 
Penguin  Island,  21. 
Phoebe,  H.  M.  ship,  19. 
Piggot,  Capt.   71. 
Pillage,  a  cruise  of,  123-126. 
Pilotage,    Hawaiian   origin,    2, 

96. 

Pitt  Mr.  (Kalaimoku,  which  see) 
Point  Gregory,  77a. 

Pinos,  122. 

Poisoning  ot  crew,  126 
Policy  of  King  Kamehameha,  2. 
Polygamy  among    Indians,  64. 
Pork  curing,  method  of,  72. 
Port  Trinidad  76a,  78. 
Prayed  to  death,  fear  of  being. 

104 
Prockley,  Ccptain  94. 

Racoon,  H.  M.  ship  17,  18. 
Rainy  season  of  hawn.  Is.  114. 
Recovery  of  deserters  43. 
Rescue  of  Lark's  crew,   16. 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  20,  21. 
Robson,  Captn.  20,  21,  23,  24, 
27,  29,  31,32.35,37,  38. 
Russians  and  Kodiacs  82,  84. 
Russian  colors  hoisted,  72. 

designs  in  Sandwich  Is.   2, 
46,  71. 

establishment,  82. 

fort  at  Kauai  88,  at  Norfolk 
Sound,  30. 

Northwest  Co.  28. 

trade  precautions,  76. 


INDEX. 


Russian  trading  settlement,  4, 

14,   30,  33. 
Russians,  4,  30,  31,  34,  51,52, 

53,  71. 

at  Kauai,  88.  driven  off,  89. 
expelled  from  Oahu,  72,  82. 

Sandal  wood  collecting,  89. 

purchasing,  47. 
Sandwich  Islanders  8,  9,  25,  27 

38,  41,  69. 

dress  of  women,    110-111. 
good  fighters,  122. 
human  sacrifices  abolished, 

102 

superstitions  103,  115,  117. 
Sandwich  Islands,   1,  2,  7,  96. 
San  Francisco.  17,  32 
Santa    Rosa,    brig,    account    of 

mutiny,  93-94. 
arrival  at  Hawaii,  92. 
delivered  up  to  Bouchard, 

119 
sails   for   Kauai    120,     and 

Monterey  121. 
attack   fort   and    sack    the 

town,  122 

reach  Valparaiso,   126. 
Scheffer,    Dr.,    (Shefham),   46, 

48,  72,  73,  89. 
Sea-Otters,  30,  54. 
Selechel,  65. 
Settlers  landed.   10. 
Ship    towage    into     >'onolu!u, 

method  of,  67-8. 
Sir   Francis   Drake  harbor,  32, 

75a. 

Slavery  among  Indians,  68. 
Smith,  Capt  .  27. 
Sole  (or  Soule),  ( 'apt  ,   14. 
Soledada  Island,  21. 
Soosoonies,  42,  65. 
Spaniards.   32,  33,  43,  80.  122. 
Spanish    crew    massacred,    SO. 
Spear  catching,  101. 
Sperm  whales  seen.  42. 
St.  Barbara  looted,  124 
Stevenson,  Wm.,  escaped  con- 
vict, 107. 

St.  Paul  &  St.  George  Islands, 
14,  51. 


Strange  custom,  36. 

Surf  riding  experience,  112. 

Taboo  or  Kapu,  36,  86,  100. 
Tackum,  chief,  66. 
Tameamea,  see  Kamehameha. 
Tatneameak,  Am.  schooner  pri- 
vateer, 39 

Tamoree — see  Kaumualii. 
Tarrow  -see  Kalo. 
Taxes,  83a,  102. 
Tee  (or  Ki)  root  106. 
Thome,  Captn.  7,  8,  9,  10,  1 1 
Tongue  Point,  57. 
I   Tonquin,   leaves  New  York,  7, 

off  the  Columbia  8,  in  peril, 
9. 

lands  cargo  10. 

messacre      of     crew,      1 1 , 

wrecked   12. 

i   Tour  with  Don  Marin,  117. 
Trade,  articles  of,  68. 

between  N.  W.  Coast  Sand. 

Is.  and  China,  ] . 
Tres  Marias,  126. 
Trinidad  bay,  75a. 
Turner,  Captn.  92,  93. 

with  officers  put  ashore,  94. 

Vancouver's  observatory  32,  44. 

Waialua,  100. 

Waianae,  89,  JOO. 

Waikiki,  97. 

Waimea,  73,  88,  89. 

Russian  fort  at,  88. 

Wampoa,schr.  Columbia,  leaves 
41. 

War  Canoes,    Indian,  69. 

West  India  trade,  effect  on,  L*. 
19. 

Western    Settlement's  Commu- 
nication 3. 

Wild  Animals,  variety  of,  5. 

Winship,  Captn.  71. 

Woahoo,  see  Oahu. 

\Voody  Point,  10,  12, 

Young  John,   40,  72,  S3a,    84«, 

107. 
Young's  River,  77a. 


o 

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PUBLISHER    OF    THE 
O   O 


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